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# nicktyrone.com

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## Posts

- [Why Gareth Southgate is England's best ever manager](https://nicktyrone.com/why-gareth-southgate-is-englands-best-ever-manager/) - I love Gareth Southgate. Truly and deeply. And not because he dresses sharply, although that helps. And not because he seems like a caring, balanced guy, which is also a plus. I love him because he wins. I love him because he has turned around English football in a way that continues to be underestimated
- [What's going to happen in the local elections 2022?](https://nicktyrone.com/whats-going-to-happen-in-the-local-elections-2022/) - Just to get started here, I am not going to predict the outcome in full. That would be a fool's errand. There are way too many variables to even begin to pull together something that anyone in their right mind could psephologically feel confident about. However, I think there are three broad ways it could
- [On birthdays, Brexit and Boris: having your cake with Marcel Proust](https://nicktyrone.com/on-birthdays-brexit-and-boris-having-your-cake-with-marcel-proust/) - In the summer of 2014, Boris Johnson announced he would be running at the next general election to become the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, having been selected by the constituency association to do so. This was significant for several reasons, not least being the fact that the then London mayor had promised several
- [Can Boris Johnson be fixed with better advisors? Let's look at the possibilities](https://nicktyrone.com/can-boris-johnson-be-fixed-with-better-advisors-lets-look-at-the-possibilities/) - In amongst the "It's all a Remainer plot" and "They all thought it was a work function" excuses being trotted out by those desperate to keep Boris Johnson in Number 10, we also have the old "He just needs better people around him" chestnut making the rounds. Yes, this is the notion that if only
- [What's really wrong with the mainstream media in Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/whats-really-wrong-with-the-mainstream-media-in-britain/) - I've wanted to write this one for a while, mainly because it seems like in our polarised age everyone has a view on the mainstream media or legacy media or "the dreaded MSM" depending on who you are, ones that are rarely in tune with reality. Either the MSM is warping all of our minds
- [My review of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"](https://nicktyrone.com/my-review-of-ayn-rands-atlas-shrugged/) - Before I started reading this book, I really, really wanted to like it. I held a desire to say something contrary to so many of the reviews I had read of it; I wanted to absorb the politics of the novel and, even if I disagreed with them, find a better way of understanding Rand's
- [Why the Tories are in more trouble than you might think](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-tories-are-in-more-trouble-than-you-might-think/) - Before we start in earnest here, I want to say right off the bat that what follows is not a prediction. We live in completely bonkers times and I am not about to tell you what will happen at the next election because I really have no idea. In fact, all I'm going to do
- [What if Keir Starmer is actually doing everything right?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-if-keir-starmer-is-actually-doing-everything-right/) - I'll preface this article by saying I've been thinking about writing it for a while now. I wanted to have it go out in a mainstream outlet, but it turns out none of them want this article particularly badly enough. The centre-right outlets I can understand, but it's the rejection by the centre-left ones I
- [Taking the latest Liz Truss speech apart, line by line](https://nicktyrone.com/taking-the-latest-liz-truss-speech-apart-line-by-line/) - All right, perhaps a slight exaggeration in the title - without wishing to give out spoilers already, yesterday's speech by Liz Truss was of her usual standard, ie appallingly abysmal, and going over every single line might kill me. Besides, the Gov.uk website from which I'm pulling the text has about half the speech removed
- [Why opposition to the government is so difficult at the moment](https://nicktyrone.com/why-opposition-to-the-government-is-so-difficult-at-the-moment/) - A common complaint across all non-Tory politics at present is this: why can't anyone mount an effective opposition against this shambles of a Conservative government? A lot of fire is directed at Keir Starmer, so let's start with him and his party as to why it seems almost impossible to put up any kind of
- [The right is nowhere near as open-minded as it pretends to be](https://nicktyrone.com/the-right-is-nowhere-near-as-open-minded-as-it-pretends-to-be/) - There is a myth that circulates currently on the western right that goes like this: while the left is close-minded, wrapped up in cancel culture and identity politics, the right have become the custodians of tolerance. While the left no-platforms those it disagrees with, the right will talk with anyone and everyone. So long as
- [Is political correctness destroying artistic creation? How writing fiction became difficult](https://nicktyrone.com/is-political-correctness-destroying-artistic-creation-how-writing-fiction-became-difficult/) - I have a new book out called "The Patient". I'm now in that stage of having to talk about it all the time - to keep the publisher happy, to give myself a chance of selling enough copies to be able to publish another one - which I don't really relish. But there is something
- [Why we need to talk about 2004 and Brexit - how immigration became important](https://nicktyrone.com/why-we-need-to-talk-about-2004-and-brexit-how-immigration-became-important/) - While even the basic statement I'm about to start off with is still somewhat contentious in certain circles, anyone who isn't trying one on has to admit that immigration played a large part in the vote to leave the EU in 2016. The desire to end freedom of movement - at least, in the direction
- [The four assumptions behind Brexit, explained](https://nicktyrone.com/the-four-assumptions-behind-brexit-explained/) - Yesterday, I put out the following tweet: Brexit was based on four assumptions: 1. It would cause the EU to collapse. 2. We'd get all the benefits of the SM without having to follow the rules. 3. We'd get a great trade deal with the US. 4. There would be a painless solution to the
- [The important difference between rights and privileges](https://nicktyrone.com/the-important-difference-between-rights-and-privileges/) - I had some fun on Twitter over the weekend. Here's a tweet I put out there: One of my favourite Brexiteer lines is "If you like the EU so much why don't you go and live there?" Perhaps because Brexit removed my right to do so? Although I didn't tweet this to specifically phish for
- [What is the UK government really doing on climate change?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-is-the-uk-government-really-doing-on-climate-change/) - To say that the release of the IPCC's report on climate change has caused much more of a stir than most green policy reports tend to would be a massive understatement. The headline take away of 'code red' for humanity in relation to the environment dominated the news in the UK on the day the
- [How everything became woke](https://nicktyrone.com/how-everything-became-woke/) - Laurence Fox was on GB News last night. This isn't news, obviously; Fox, maybe even more than Farage, is built for the channel. I watched his clip so you don't have to. It revealed a lot, I'm pleased to say. I like watching Fox because he is one of the least sophisticated right-wing pundits in
- [Why the popularity of left-wing policies don't translate into Labour winning elections](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-popularity-of-left-wing-policies-dont-translate-into-labour-winning-elections/) - A common refrain heard from the left of Labour during the Corbyn era was that 'left-wing policies are popular'. This was a reference to the fact that when polled, policies such as rail nationalisation turned out to have widespread approval. Yet this was not the silver bullet the Corbynistas always thought it was because it
- [Why Priti Patel is the worst Home Secretary of all time](https://nicktyrone.com/why-priti-patel-is-the-worst-home-secretary-of-all-time/) - Charles Moore believes that 'a special animus' is directed towards Priti Patel by portions of the left simply because she is 'Indian, female and firmly Tory'. While I wouldn't deny that there is a bizarre form of racism on the left in these matters - the 'we own the BMEs' sentiment that they never realise
- [Why Twenty20 cricket is shit](https://nicktyrone.com/why-twenty20-cricket-is-shit/) - It's becoming harder and harder to say anything original about the current state of British politics. It feels like a lot of stuff is happening under the surface, and by that I don't mean in backrooms or offices of state (although, there probably is a lot of that taking place). What I mean is Covid,
- [If even Steve Baker thinks so, have the Tories gone too far with the culture war stuff?](https://nicktyrone.com/if-even-steve-baker-thinks-so-have-the-tories-gone-too-far-with-the-culture-war/) - The culture wars have been good for the Conservative party. They were undoubtedly one of the things that helped the Tories win the 2019 general election so decisively. The party was able to paint itself as the guardians of old school British common sense, protecting the country at large from the army of the woke.
- [Could Ed Davey be a secret political genius?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-ed-davey-be-a-secret-political-genius/) - Last August, I wrote a piece entitled "Layla Moran will kill off the Lib Dems. But I still want her to win" in which I described how I thought that if Layla became leader of the Lib Dems, they would ooze into a progressive alliance sort of space and be killed off fairly quickly -
- [My rant about Keir Starmer and the continuing idiocy of Labour's position on Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/my-rant-about-keir-starmer-and-his-continuing-idiocy-on-brexit/) - Keir Starmer doesn't talk about Brexit much anymore. He's desperate to leave the issue behind; for everyone to "move on" and stop talking about a subject that has bizarrely helped further destroy the Labour party while making the Tories electorally invincible. And yet, there are days when he can't help himself. Yesterday was one of
- [How Boris Johnson reminds me of 70s Elvis Presley](https://nicktyrone.com/how-boris-johnson-reminds-me-of-70s-elvis-presley/) - Before we go any further, in relation to the headline: no, it's not not because they are both middle-aged men who experienced weight problems. Although it's worth stating again an incredible fact about Boris Johnson: he is the only person I have ever come across that looks fatter in real life than on television. The
- [How Brexit got caught up in the culture war - and helped destroy Labour along the way](https://nicktyrone.com/how-brexit-got-caught-up-in-the-culture-war-and-helped-destroy-labour-along-the-way/) - On last week's Question Time on the BBC, there was an exchange between Michelle Dewberry, former Apprentice winner and Brexit party political candidate, and shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy. It is probably the most clear cut example I've ever witnessed of where continuity Remain went wrong somewhere around early 2018. Dewberry starts in on Nandy,
- [Why I still find it impossible to embrace Brexit as the "new reality"](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-still-find-it-impossible-to-embrace-brexit-as-the-new-reality/) - There are many things about Andy Burnham I dislike but I have to credit him with one thing: the guy always finds new ways to make me like him even less than I already do. During one of his recent copious interviews in which he is in no way seeking to put himself in the
- [What the next decade of Tory government might look like](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-next-decade-of-tory-government-might-look-like/) - I will apologise right off the bat - none of this is going to be positive. Even if you're a Tory, none of this is going to be positive. The reason for this is that for all of the usual hysterics surrounding the aftermath of May 6th, if anything people haven't gone far enough in
- [Here are the three main reasons a progressive alliance won't work](https://nicktyrone.com/__trashed/) - Since Brexit happened, a lot of energy that was focused on halting our exit from the European Union has gone into a new project which can be defined as the "progressive alliance". The idea is that Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens (and in some iterations, the SNP) make a pact for each party
- [Here are the two reasons why Labour lost Hartlepool and a chunk of local England](https://nicktyrone.com/here-are-the-two-reasons-why-labour-lost-hartlepool-and-a-chunk-of-local-england/) - There are those who will try and spin Labour's results from last week's 'Super Thursday' elections as not all that bad. 'Look at all those mayors!' and 'It's early in Keir's leadership still!' will abound. But make no mistake - Labour are in the shit. The Hartlepool by-election result on its own was terrible enough,
- [Five British political scandals that ultimately went nowhere](https://nicktyrone.com/five-british-political-scandals-that-ultimately-went-nowhere/) - In a week that saw Boris Johnson caught up in multiple political scandals, any one of which would have brought down a political career back in the old days when this stuff still mattered, I am taking the time to remind us all of incidents in British politics that have fizzled out into what is
- [A familiar story with a new twist: More Brexit shenanigans from the Labour Party?](https://nicktyrone.com/a-familiar-story-with-a-new-twist-more-brexit-shenanigans-from-the-labour-party/) - 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.
- [Who would win a general election if it was called tomorrow?](https://nicktyrone.com/who-would-win-a-general-election-if-it-was-called-tomorrow/) - What follows isn't a prediction about what is going to happen in 2024. It's just trying to gauge where the parties are at present and to that end, attempting to take a stab at what might happen if there was a general election that took place in the next couple of months' time. Several things
- [Three endings for "Game of Thrones" that would have been way better](https://nicktyrone.com/three-endings-for-game-of-thrones-that-would-have-been-way-better/) - While in the midst of a global pandemic, it's nice to think back to the things we used to get worked up about when society was still a thing. Like "Game of Thrones", Season Eight. We all loved the show for almost a decade leading up to the final series, having had to wait two
- [Was the coalition government a good idea or a bad idea? For the Lib Dems? For the Tories? For the country?](https://nicktyrone.com/was-the-coalition-government-a-good-idea-or-a-bad-idea-for-the-lib-dems-for-the-tories-for-the-country/) - I got to thinking about the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government this week. It is, in a sense, one of the more maligned governments of my lifetime. Labour people and indeed those on the left more generally paint it as an austerity creating beast; most Tory folk think of it as an unfortunate period that they
- [The five worst British political speeches delivered in the 21st century (so far)](https://nicktyrone.com/the-five-worst-british-political-speeches-in-the-21st-century-so-far/) - I made myself some ground rules for this. One is that I would only count speeches made by Members of Parliament in parties that had at least two MPs in the House of Commons when the speech was delivered. Otherwise, I'd get lost in the weeds - there are loads of terrible speeches given by
- [Why we should be thankful for how the Trump presidency turned out in the end](https://nicktyrone.com/the-trump-presidency-could-have-been-so-much-worse-let-us-count-the-ways/) - Today is the last full day of the Trump presidency. It is easy to take his loss in November for granted, forgetting how likely his re-election seemed at the start of 2020 (and which the thinness of Biden's wins in crucial states bears out). It is also easy to underestimate how much worse Trump's presidency,
- [My thoughts on the Priti Patel bullying scandal - why I think the right should be careful with what they are doing here](https://nicktyrone.com/my-thoughts-on-the-priti-patel-bullying-scandal-why-i-think-the-right-should-be-careful-with-what-they-are-doing-here/) - I don’t think there should be much more to say on the Priti Patel bullying scandal. She broke the ministerial code – again – and therefore should have been sacked. That’s it; I don’t see that there is anything more to talk about on the issue. Yet I am seemingly alone on this one; I’ve
- [Here's my prediction for the 2020 US presidential election](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-my-prediction-for-the-2020-us-presidential-election/) - Today is the day politics nerds - and those who are deeply interested in the political fate of western civilisation - have been both anticipating and dreading for four years. The US presidential election. The chance for Trump to be judged on his presidency. For once, the hyperbole surrounding an election is fully justified -
- [Defending Robert Peston's "The government is socialist" tweet](https://nicktyrone.com/defending-robert-pestons-the-government-is-socialist-tweet/) - Yesterday, Robert Peston tweeted out a thread about how he saw the current Boris Johnson-led government as being socialist. Peston really went for it, describing Johnson as "more Castro than Castro". As a result, people rushed to belittle his claims. What was interesting to me was that the ones who tried to substantially rebut Peston's
- [A look back at Glen or Glenda - can the Ed Wood's "masterpiece" tell us anything about the trans debate in 2020?](https://nicktyrone.com/a-look-back-at-glen-or-glenda-can-the-ed-woods-masterpiece-tell-us-anything-about-the-trans-debate-in-2020/) - "It's the longest hour on Earth," is my brother's capsule review of Ed Wood's first feature, Glen or Glenda, a 1953 film that is about transgenderism/transvestitism. I have always found this and other critiques of the movie that describe it in such harsh terms unfair; noted American film critic Leonard Maltin once described is as
- [The Perugia story: an encapsulation of all that is wrong with anti-Tory politics in the current age](https://nicktyrone.com/the-perugia-story-an-encapsulation-of-all-that-is-wrong-with-anti-tory-politics-in-the-current-age/) - Yesterday, my Twitter timeline was awash with stories about Boris Johnson and a supposed trip to Perugia. The lovely city in Italy's Umbria region had become the centre of a story that many people who should have known better swore would "bring down Boris". It came from a story in Italian newspaper La Repubblica about
- [Why the left needs to steal this trick from the right to win again](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-left-needs-to-steal-this-trick-from-the-right-to-win-again/) - I recently wrote on here about how, contrary to what appears to be a widespread assumption, I believe the right are starting to win the culture war. A lot of people on the right resist this idea, at least partly because it rubs up against their game plan, which is to win the culture war
- [Here's the big problem with cancel culture](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-big-problem-with-cancel-culture/) - This morning on Sky News, the following exchange took place: KAY BURLEY: Tony Abbott is a homophobe and a misogynist. MATT HANCOCK: He's also an expert of trade. If cancel culture worked to its intended aim, the Health Secretary would be worried for his job after that remark. Yet we all know nothing of the
- [Here's how the Lib Dems should deal with Brexit from now on](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-how-the-lib-dems-should-deal-with-brexit-from-now-on/) - With Ed Davey's ascension to the leadership of the Liberal Democrats comes the question of what the party's exact position on Brexit should be from here on out. Clearly, the Lib Dems are not in any danger of becoming some pro-Brexit outfit; yet there is still some doubt as to what the yellows should do
- [How Brexit fuelled Scottish nationalism in a much simpler way than is usually discussed](https://nicktyrone.com/how-brexit-fuelled-scottish-nationalism-in-a-much-more-simple-way-than-is-usually-discussed/) - Scottish independence was roped into the effects of Brexit from the day after the EU referendum took place. It was said by many, myself included, that one of the reasons that the Scottish people had voted no in 2014 was because by leaving they couldn't be assured of getting into the EU as a new,
- [Is the Brexiteer answer to making Brexit work now.....socialism? Has Lexit won in the strangest way possible?](https://nicktyrone.com/is-the-brexiteer-answer-to-making-brexit-work-now-socialism-has-lexit-won-in-the-strangest-way-possible/) - I wrote an article for the Spectator this week about what I think Keir Starmer's likely approach to Brexit from here will be. I was fascinated by the response, particularly from Leavers who basically agreed with me. I feel like getting people talking again about realistic paths back into the Single Market and Customs Union
- [Clearing up what I have (and have not) said about the Liberal Democrats recently](https://nicktyrone.com/clearing-up-what-i-have-and-have-not-said-about-the-liberal-democrats-recently/) - I have written a series of articles, mostly in for the Spectator but sometimes elsewhere, about the state of the Lib Dems. I've written about what I think the party should do, what I think they will do, and what I think other parties need to be mindful of when it comes to the Liberal
- [The coolest band of the 1970's was Kool & the Gang. Read before ye judge](https://nicktyrone.com/coolest-band-1970s-kool-gang-read-ye-judge/) - When people hear the name of the band Kool and the Gang, they tend to think of “Celebration”, or perhaps the string of other cheesy disco hits the band produced in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Or they think of that and “Jungle Boogie”, a song that was featured on the “Pulp Fiction” soundtrack,
- [Will the threat of Scottish independence end Boris Johnson's time in Downing Street?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-the-threat-of-scottish-independence-end-boris-johnsons-time-in-downing-street/) - Boris Johnson is very unpopular in Scotland. A Times poll out this morning puts Johnson's handling of the CoVid crisis amongst Scots at -61%. There was talk when he became PM that he would end the union - sure enough, the SNP are riding higher than ever in the polls and Scotland voting to leave
- [Connecting two of the worst films ever made: Hieronymus Merkin and Garbage Pail Kids: The Movie](https://nicktyrone.com/connecting-two-worst-films-ever-made-hieronymus-merkin-garbage-pail-kids-movie/) - I arrived in Wicker Park in the dead of winter. Chitown was under several feet of snow when my taxi pulled up in front of my Chicago Connection’s place. Many a Chicago resident wanted to claim to live in Wicker Park at the time (it was so hip, Hollywood made a film starring Josh Harnett
- [Why we need to get real about CoVid](https://nicktyrone.com/why-we-need-to-get-real-about-covid/) - Like everything else in the current era, CoVid is thought of differently on the left and right. The left have, oddly in a way, become lock down passionate, sure this is the right way to go. I say strange since it means giving a Tory government they swear are fascists ever more power. On the
- [Why all the V-shaped economy talk shows how confused Tory thinking is at present](https://nicktyrone.com/why-all-the-v-shaped-economy-talk-shows-how-confused-tory-thinking-is-at-present/) - A common thread amongst centre-right commentators at the moment is the "V-shaped recovery". This is the idea that the unprecedented economic crash we are experiencing will be brief and things will return to normal very soon - thus, a graph showing economic growth in the years 2019 through 2021 will demonstrate a huge dip followed
- [Why I think Maajid Nawaz is wrong about Remainers and post-Brexit Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-think-maajid-nawaz-is-wrong-about-remainers-and-post-brexit-britain/) - I really like Maajid Nawaz as a pundit. I think he is an interesting addition to a commentariat that can often feel boringly samey. A self-identifying Muslim who is a proper liberal and not only happy to criticise what he thinks is wrong or at least not working in the Islamic world but has taken
- [Starmer is going to have to remove the whip from Corbyn eventually – so he might as well do it now](https://nicktyrone.com/starmer-is-going-to-have-to-remove-the-whip-from-corbyn-eventually-so-he-might-as-well-do-it-now/) - The Labour civil war appears to have begun. Keir Starmer deciding to make settlement payments to seven former party employees turned whistle blowers was the catalyst – but the Labour left were itching for a fight, so almost anything could have started it. Jeremy Corbyn retaliated with a statement that appears designed to ratchet tensions
- [It's time to talk about the British left and China](https://nicktyrone.com/its-time-to-talk-about-the-british-left-and-china/) - I've sort of held off writing this article for a while now. But things have gone too far. I was triggered by an article in the Independent authored by Vince Cable last week on the topic of China and the west. I'm simplifying a lot here, but basically the former Lib Dem leader was saying
- [What the Julian Lewis-Chris Grayling affair tells us about the state of the Boris Johnson government](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-julian-lewis-chris-grayling-affair-tells-us-about-the-state-of-the-boris-johnson-government/) - Yesterday, an upset in the world of parliamentary committees took place large enough for people who aren't total politics nerds to notice. The reason was that the government, who wanted Chris Grayling to be the new chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, was undone by Julian Lewis, a then Tory backbencher, who conspired with
- [Will the new face mask requirement have repercussions for the government?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-the-new-face-mask-requirement-have-repercussions-for-the-government/) - What many have been speculating will happen for some time has finally taken place - the government has said that face masks are to become compulsory to wear in all shops and supermarkets in England from July 24th, ie, next Friday. It is classic CoVid era Boris, this one; it appears to be a decision
- [Here's why the Liz Truss letter about post-Brexit trade is so revealing](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-why-the-liz-truss-letter-about-post-brexit-trade-is-so-revealing/) - An email from Liz Truss to Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove outlining her concerns about what a no deal Brexit would entail has been leaked to the media. As expected, it was a big news story yesterday. Yet given all it reveals, it is amazing how relatively little attention it received. For it shines a
- [This is why I think non-Labour people like me are warming to Keir Starmer](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-why-i-think-non-labour-people-like-me-are-warming-to-keir-starmer/) - Jeremy Clarkson has given a very guarded endorsement of the new Labour leader; it was less of a blessing than most people who haven't actually read what Clarkson had to say about him think. Yet it wasn't without real significance. A lot of people who aren't natural Labour voters really are warming to Starmer all
- [Why I believe the Boris Johnson government is going so hard toward a no deal Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-believe-the-boris-johnson-government-is-going-so-hard-toward-a-no-deal-brexit/) - I wrote an article for the Spectator yesterday about how I thought Peter Mandelson was wrong when he overplayed the likelihood that the government were going to avoid no deal by getting something nailed down between the UK and the EU before the end of the year. Instead, I posited that I thought no deal
- [Five myths Corbynistas cling to in a post-Corbyn world, debunked](https://nicktyrone.com/five-myths-of-corbynism-that-live-on-in-a-post-corbyn-world-debunked/) - In the wake of a stunning turnaround within the Labour Party, with the left having lost control of the party, something they looked certain to hold onto for a generation at least, the core myths that propel Corbynistas onward are widely circulating on social media. I have decided to sit down and debunk the five
- [The BLM "FREE PALESTINE" tweet: could the "liberal consensus" actually go into reverse?](https://nicktyrone.com/the-blm-free-palestine-tweet-could-the-liberal-consensus-actually-go-into-reverse/) - Over the weekend, the official Black Lives Matter UK twitter account put out a tweet that read: "As Israel moves forward with the annexation of the West Bank, and mainstream British politics is gagged of the right to critique Zionism, and Israel’s settler colonial pursuits, we loudly and clearly stand beside our Palestinian comrades. FREE
- [Why the idea that Labour cannot win a majority at the next general election is the biggest fallacy in modern British politics](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-idea-that-labour-cannot-win-a-majority-at-the-next-general-election-is-the-biggest-fallacy-in-modern-british-politics/) - One of the trends from the last five years of politics is that a truism gets established amongst the cognoscenti, which then spreads to the next level of those interested enough in politics to pay attention to at least some of its subtleties - and then the truism gets demolished by reality. "Corbyn could never
- [There is one way and one way only that Layla Moran's plans for the Lib Dems will work. It is unlikely](https://nicktyrone.com/there-is-one-way-and-one-way-only-that-layla-morans-plans-for-the-lib-dems-will-work-it-is-unlikely/) - This weekend, Layla Moran has set out her stall in terms of what her leadership of the Lib Dems would look like. Unsurprisingly, Layla plans to move the party to the left. Possibly, far to the left. "I will be more radical than Labour and I will be unapologetic about that," she said. She ruled
- [Here's what was wrong with the way Remainers campaigned post-June 2016](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-what-was-wrong-with-the-way-remainers-campaigned-post-june-2016/) - We are experiencing the eye of the storm in terms of the culture war in this country at the moment. At least I hope we are - please tell me it doesn't get worse from here somehow. Remainers like to say that Brexit caused this; that it was the vote to Leave the European Union
- [Why I think this man will be the next prime minister - before the next general election](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-think-this-man-will-be-the-next-prime-minister-before-the-next-general-election/) - I've written a few times already about why I believe Boris Johnson's premiership will be a brief one. I will now outline a scenario for you involving him being deposed and replaced with Jeremy Hunt, all within roughly the next year or so. For various reasons, this process could take a little longer; this is
- [Why people are writing off Nigel Farage too early, yet again](https://nicktyrone.com/why-people-are-writing-off-nigel-farage-too-early-yet-again/) - I feel like I've written something a lot this article many times before. I probably have. Either way, it doesn't make what I'm about to write any less true. In the wake of Nigel Farage no longer doing his LBC gig and his subsequent announcement that he is relaunching the Brexit Party, possibly under the
- [How Boris Johnson has been played into a brutal corner that he might not escape from this time](https://nicktyrone.com/how-boris-johnson-has-been-played-into-a-brutal-corner-that-he-might-not-escape-from-this-time/) - His premiership has gone so differently than I'm sure Boris Johnson imagined. Some of that is fair enough; he couldn't have foreseen a pandemic. A lot of what has transpired was less difficult to predict, however. In February, which seems like a very long time ago now, I wrote an article on here about how
- [In order to end the culture war, we need to understand what each side values in a real sense](https://nicktyrone.com/in-order-to-end-the-culture-war-we-need-to-understand-what-each-side-values-in-a-real-sense/) - This week, Britain has seemed, at least to me, to be more divided than I can ever remember it. Far from the culture war cooling, it seems to be getting worse. The particular flare point was the BLM protests in central London and in several other British cities, with one incident in particular dividing people:
- [How the Left let the kids take over, with disastrous consequences](https://nicktyrone.com/how-the-left-let-the-kids-take-over-with-disastrous-consequences/) - The day after protests in London took place, several young people came to clean off the graffiti that had been put onto the Earl Haig memorial. While they were doing this, a young woman approached and berated them. "Couldn't even wait a day. Not one day, because of their precious memorial," she said to them
- [Why the Peter Hitchens YouTube incident highlights the importance of free speech](https://nicktyrone.com/the-peter-hitchens-youtube-incident-highlights-the-importance-of-free-speech/) - During the Coronavirus crisis, YouTube have worked to try and filter out what they deem as disinformation on CoVid. The first big example of this was removing David Icke's channel from the site after he'd done a few videos on the virus from his own unique standpoint. For some of you, this might be easily
- [A parent's view of the first day back at school in the age of CoVid](https://nicktyrone.com/a-parents-view-of-the-first-day-back-at-school-in-the-age-of-covid/) - My son is in Year One and so he could return to school today. We decided on balance that we would let him go back. During the walk to school he was neither nervous nor excited about returning; just strangely indifferent. His questions while we walked were the usual bag of six-year-old tricks: he wondered
- [The real problem Boris Johnson has with the Dominic Cummings affair](https://nicktyrone.com/the-real-problem-boris-johnson-has-with-the-dominic-cummings-affair/) - There has been a hell of a lot of takes on the Dominic Cummings affair already. I was hesitant to add my own for that reason. But this isn't going away it seems, so here goes. I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of what Cummings did and whether he should be
- [Van Halen and the CoVid crisis](https://nicktyrone.com/van-halen-and-the-covid-crisis/) - I've been writing this blog for over six years now. In that time, I have put out articles that fall into distinct categories. The most common type is me commenting on something politically relevant to the moment; this kind of article garners 90% of its hits in the first 48 hours, and often most of
- [My review of the Lib Dems' "2019 Election Review Report"](https://nicktyrone.com/my-review-of-the-lib-dems-2019-election-review-report/) - We have known for months that the Lib Dems were doing an internal review into what went wrong with the 2019 general election campaign. As someone who has strong views on this subject, I read the report, released yesterday, with anticipation. I'll start with this basic, overarching review: it is much, much better than I
- [What went wrong with the Lib Dems 2019 general election campaign? Here's a forensic examination](https://nicktyrone.com/what-went-wrong-with-the-lib-dems-2019-general-election-campaign-heres-a-forensic-examination/) - The Lib Dems have been crushed. Jo Swinson lost her seat; none of the defectors from the Labour and Conservative parties managed to either hold or take the seats they were contesting; the Liberal Democrats managed to overall net lose seats in an election where that seemed almost impossible going in. What follows is a
- [Ten years on from the 2010 general election. What were the long term effects of the Lib Dems going into coalition with the Tories?](https://nicktyrone.com/ten-years-on-from-the-2010-general-election-were-the-lib-dems-right-or-wrong-to-form-the-coalition/) - Yesterday was the ten year anniversary of the 2010 general election. It wasn't an anniversary widely celebrated. Every corner of British politics had something to feel bitter about on the night. The Tories fell short of what many felt was their destined return to being the natural party of government; the Labour Party were chucked
- [How the rally round the flag affect is waning - and what that means for Boris and the government](https://nicktyrone.com/how-the-rally-round-the-flag-affect-is-waning-and-what-that-means-for-boris-and-the-government/) - The Tories are still riding high in the polls. The prime minister's personal ratings remain outrageously positive, as do the numbers reflecting faith in the government. So, it would be highly logical for you to rubbish the idea that the rally round the flag affect is on the wane at all. But I believe at
- [Here is the emerging split on the right. Time will tell how deep it goes - and how that affects the Conservative party](https://nicktyrone.com/here-is-the-emerging-split-on-the-right-time-will-tell-how-deep-it-goes-and-how-that-affects-the-conservative-party/) - One of the things we learned definitely from the December general election was how united the right was compared with how divided the left had become. While the right was able to group around Boris and the Tories, those who wanted the Conservatives out of government were split several ways, most prominently between Lib Dems
- [Don't Leave, Organise: what a meeting of Labour's new left rearguard tells us](https://nicktyrone.com/dont-leave-organise-what-a-meeting-of-labours-new-left-rearguard-tells-us/) - "The previous comments made by some of the individuals on this call are completely unacceptable. These are not people who support the values of the Labour Party. This is being made clear to the Labour MPs who attended the call in the strongest possible terms and they are being reminded of their responsibilities and obligations.”
- [Why the #FBPE hashtag failed - and the general lessons from that failure](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-fbpe-hashtag-failed-and-the-general-lessons-from-that-failure/) - Some might immediately dispute my headline. "We got six million people to sign a revoke petition! There were several marches through London attended by hundreds of thousands of people!" All right, but Brexit happened. Sort of. It's hard not to see a pretty hardcore version of a real Brexit taking place at the end of
- [Has the public really lost all faith in the mainstream media? Here's a theory](https://nicktyrone.com/has-the-public-really-lost-all-faith-in-the-mainstream-media-heres-a-theory/) - Sky News commissioned a YouGov poll late last week around several topics, one of which was trust in the media. It came back with very low figures in favour of the mainstream media: 72% of respondents said they did not trust newspapers, 17% said they do. 64% said they do not trust television news, 24%
- [Why Ed Davey and the Lib Dems' Ramadan fasting stunt is such a bad idea](https://nicktyrone.com/why-ed-davey-and-the-lib-dems-ramadan-fasting-stunt-is-such-a-bad-idea/) - For those of you not following the minutiae of the Liberal Democrat party at the moment, which I imagine is almost all of you, Ed Davey is leading many members of his brigade, MPs and councillors, to fast for Ramadan. Your first question here should be: why exactly? Has Ed Davey and many other Lib
- [Why liberals should stop being condescending about St George's Day](https://nicktyrone.com/why-liberals-should-stop-being-condescending-about-st-georges-day/) - Today, as most of you reading will already know, is St George's Day. It is England's national day. Each year on this date, several things occur. One is that a certain portion of the population gets out their crosses of St George and revels in their idea of Englishness. This is sometimes benign, it is
- [This will be the biggest impediment to Labour winning another election - and it's not the Corbyn gang's antics](https://nicktyrone.com/this-will-be-the-biggest-impediment-to-labour-winning-another-election-and-its-not-the-corbyn-gangs-antics/) - The one thing that has managed to break up the news cycle a little bit over the past couple of weeks, away from CoVid and the government's handling of it, has been the latest shitstorm within the Labour Party. The departing Corbynistas have burnt the crops behind them like fleeing Russian peasants, trying to send
- [Here's why Keir Starmer will never be accepted by the far left and what that means for Labour's immediate future](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-why-keir-starmer-will-never-be-accepted-by-the-far-left-and-what-that-means-for-labours-immediate-future/) - Starmer ran on a platform of uniting all factions of the Labour Party. This was an admirable one in many respects - that it was also the most politically advantageous strategy to have adopted, we will leave to one side for now. Yet as soon as he was leader, the backstabbing by the far left
- [Why free speech is under threat in a post-Covid world in ways we haven't begun to seriously consider yet](https://nicktyrone.com/why-free-speech-is-under-threat-in-a-post-covid-world-in-ways-we-havent-begun-to-seriously-consider-yet/) - Free speech as an issue has had a hard time of it over the last ten years. A large section of the left has given up on the concept of it completely. That this has happened at the same time as the rise of the "I'm literally a communist" meme is not coincidental. The portion
- [No, Labour did not almost win the 2017 general election. Here's a breakdown of why - and why this is important](https://nicktyrone.com/no-labour-did-not-almost-win-the-2017-general-election-heres-a-breakdown-of-why-and-why-this-is-important/) - Corbynistas now cling with desperation to the idea that the Labour Party almost won the 2017 general election. It is all they have left, I suppose, the betrayal myth; we came so close and if it hadn't been for internal saboteurs, we'd have got over the line. Look how close we got anyhow! Except in
- [Starmer and Labour will have to have an answer to the debt problem that is inevitably ahead](https://nicktyrone.com/starmer-and-labour-will-have-to-have-an-answer-to-the-debt-problem-that-is-inevitably-ahead/) - The right are clearly a little rattled by having a competent leader of the Labour Party in situ once again. It has been a long time since this wan't the case and they got used to living in a world where the head of the opposition was an open joke. Yet despite all that, Labour
- [What Keir Starmer becoming Labour leader tells us about party politics in the current era](https://nicktyrone.com/what-keir-starmer-becoming-labour-leader-tells-us-about-party-politics-in-the-current-era/) - A well-known and liked journalist posted something along the lines of "Keir Starmer becoming leader of Labour proves I'm right in 1,000 words - off you go" on Twitter this week. The reason I bring this up is because I am about to do the exact opposite; Starmer becoming leader proves most of the things
- [Evaluating Keir Starmer's initial shadow cabinet picks](https://nicktyrone.com/evaluating-keir-starmers-initial-shadow-cabinet-picks/) - Yesterday, the new leader of the Labour Party - and how good does it feel to say that, regardless of what you think of Starmer? - made his initial shadow cabinet picks. They were just the top jobs but they still give us some indication of what Starmer's leadership is going to be like, at
- [Why the EU could be in for a rocky few years post-Coronavirus - and why that should make Eurosceptics on the right nervous](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-eu-could-be-in-for-a-rocky-few-years-post-coronavirus-and-why-that-should-make-eurosceptics-on-the-right-nervous/) - Since June 2016, a common trope on the right in Britain has been to big up any problems within the EU between differing member states as proof that the EU is about to crumble to pieces. This is happening now, with Leavers jumping on some Italians complaining about what they perceive as the EU's poor
- [Why Boris and the government's current bounce in the polls could be brief and what that will mean](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-and-the-governments-current-bounce-in-the-polls-could-be-brief-and-what-that-will-mean/) - In a time of crisis, the government's poll ratings go up, everywhere in the world. "Rally round the flag" it's called and it's completely understandable: at a time when the government becomes necessary, possibly for one's survival, people invest in that government doing the right thing. However, this has a time limit and is also
- [Here's what Starmer needs to do when he becomes Labour leader - and as quickly as possible](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-what-starmer-needs-to-do-when-he-becomes-labour-leader-and-as-quickly-as-possible/) - Unless the granddaddy of upsets takes place, Keir Starmer will become leader of the Labour Party on Saturday. Word has it that it intends to try and clear out the worst of the tankies on day one. Great start. We will find out several things about the Labour Party in April. One, how many of
- [We have indulged the far right and the far left too much and for too long. Here's how we stop](https://nicktyrone.com/we-have-indulged-the-far-right-and-the-far-left-too-much-and-for-too-long/) - Up until the EU referendum result hit in June 2016, some level of centrism, loosely defined, was considered to be a political necessity for any party wishing to govern. Labour had picked Corbyn as leader and it was assumed by almost every political pundit that this would prove to be an electoral disaster (they were
- [Whatever else happens, Corbyn will soon no longer by Labour leader. That will be a huge positive](https://nicktyrone.com/whatever-else-happens-corbyn-will-soon-no-longer-by-labour-leader-that-will-be-a-huge-positive/) - Corbyn was on the BBC yesterday, talking about how the government spending money to get round the coronavirus was his idea first and that essentially the Tories are now just nicking his style. Of course he was - what else was Corbz going to do? The merry trickster, always sure he's on the right side
- [How long will the pretence of  "real Brexit" happening on December 31st, 2020 be kept up by the government?](https://nicktyrone.com/how-long-will-the-pretence-of-real-brexit-happening-on-december-31st-2020-be-kept-up-by-the-government/) - The government is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis at present, so one certainly cannot reasonably expect daily briefings on how the negotiations with the EU are going. For those of you who are interested, they are understandably not going at all; with the EU up to its neck in CoVid related problems as
- [Why a CoVid coalition government would be of long term benefit to Labour - and short term benefit to all of us](https://nicktyrone.com/why-a-covid-coalition-government-would-be-of-long-term-benefit-to-labour-and-short-term-benefit-to-all-of-us/) - George Freeman, Tory MP for Mid Norfolk, used Twitter to call for a wartime coalition style government, bringing the Labour shadow frontbench in. He specified that this only be genuinely considered once Labour had "serious leadership" in a week and a half's time, but it was still a Conservative Member of Parliament calling for a
- [How the Left is misjudging the CoVid crisis](https://nicktyrone.com/how-the-left-is-misjudging-the-covid-crisis/) - After the 2008 financial crash, many people on the Left took to their blogs (and sometimes, their newspaper columns) to write about how the crisis would mean the end of capitalism, the rise of socialism and the triumph of left over right. We all know how that one turned out. The Left is making a
- [This is what I think Boris is trying to do here](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-what-i-think-boris-is-trying-to-do-here/) - As many of you already know, I've never been a fan of Boris Johnson. I don't hate the man or even really dislike him; I just think he chose the wrong line of work. There is an alternative universe where the Boris Johnson Show on BBC1 is keeping the nation warm during the crisis, as
- [How people almost always under and overreact - and what that means for the current situation](https://nicktyrone.com/how-people-almost-always-under-and-overreact-and-what-that-means-for-the-current-situation/) - On February 26th, 1993, a group of Islamist terrorists managed to detonate a nitrogen-hydrogen gas enhanced truck bomb underneath the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. It was meant to bring the tower down and into its neighbour, sending both towers crashing to Earth; instead, it merely caused some fixable
- [How will long term isolation of most of society affect that society - even after CoVid is no longer a mainstream concern?](https://nicktyrone.com/how-will-long-term-isolation-of-most-of-society-affect-that-society-even-after-covid-is-no-longer-a-mainstream-concern/) - Western society is shutting down. Yes, people are complaining about people still being in cafes and pubs in London, but this is temporary. Whether the government shuts this down by legal means in the coming week or not - and I suspect they will - this behaviour will fade out as more people become ill.
- [In the absence of politics, there lies this](https://nicktyrone.com/in-the-absence-of-politics-there-lies-this/) - For the moment, there is no politics. Not really, Sure, some are trying to say the current crisis means that capitalism is dead, blah, blah, blah, but no one is really listening. Almost everyone is hoping the government is doing the right thing, even we aren't sure they are at times. There has been talk
- [The problem with school closures and general shutdown - it's more complex than most people are assuming](https://nicktyrone.com/the-problem-with-school-closures-and-general-shutdown-its-more-complex-than-most-people-are-assuming/) - There are intense calls to shut down schools in the wake of people being urged to avoid pubs and theatres. If the kids can go to school, why are grown ups being asked to stay away from large groups of people? Schools have another problem in the form of teachers either getting ill or self-isolating.
- [In the face of the Coronavirus crisis, it would be utterly mad for Boris not to extend the transition period with the EU. Utterly mad - and here's exactly why](https://nicktyrone.com/it-would-be-utterly-mad-for-boris-not-to-extend-the-transition-period-with-the-eu-utterly-mad-and-heres-exactly-why/) - We were living in strange times before the Coronavirus struck; they are now surreal beyond the imaginings of an objective viewer from five years ago. Lots of people are politicising the crisis, you know, imagining that what's happening demonstrates the folly of austerity, or shows us what life would have been like under a Corbyn
- [Despite winning the election, conservative ideology is dying - yet so is liberalism at the same time. What is replacing both is scary](https://nicktyrone.com/despite-winning-the-election-conservative-ideology-is-dying-yet-so-is-liberalism-at-the-same-time-what-is-replacing-both-is-scary/) - There's a very good article by Ed West on Unherd today called "Why Conservatism is Doomed" which I highly recommend. The thesis of the piece is that despite winning the general election, conservatism is dying as an ideology as liberals take over more and more of the establishment. I agree with some of the points
- [Boris Johnson wants something out of being prime minister that no one comes away with. Here's how that will affect his time in Number 10](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnson-wants-something-out-of-being-prime-minister-that-no-one-comes-away-with-heres-how-that-will-affect-his-time-in-number-10/) - In a clip born to go viral, Prince Harry is seen walking along a line of waiting participants in that way royals do. He skips past Boris, not bothering to shake his hand or say anything to the prime minister, going on to speak warmly to Baroness Scotland who stands to the PM's direct left.
- [Why the way the Democratic primaries are unfolding should worry British Tories, never mind Trump](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-way-the-democratic-primaries-are-unfolding-should-worry-british-tories-never-mind-trump/) - Only a few weeks ago, the Democratic primaries were looking to unfold in such a chaotic way that Donald Trump's re-election began to look inevitable. The way that Sanders was fighting with not only every other candidate but with the Democratic Party itself seemed designed to help Trump remain in the White House. And yet
- [The local elections being delayed are massively helpful to Keir Starmer and Labour - so everyone should stop talking about government conspiracies](https://nicktyrone.com/the-local-elections-being-delayed-are-massively-helpful-to-keir-starmer-and-labour-so-everyone-should-stop-talking-about-government-conspiracies/) - Following the advice of the Electoral Commission, local elections that were to be held in early May are now going to be held a year on. Same goes for the London mayoral elections. While the year delay probably won't make a difference to who was going be mayor of London, getting to wait until 2021
- [How the Coronavirus crisis has become a political Rorschach test](https://nicktyrone.com/how-the-coronavirus-crisis-has-become-a-political-rorschach-test/) - When I look at the current Coronavirus crisis through the lens of politics this is what I see: Trump failing and being seen to be failing. The Democratic Party starting to unite around Joe Biden in an effort to beat Trump, something the mishandling of the current crisis makes more likely. America will also see
- [The way the Left attacks Boris isn't working. There is another way](https://nicktyrone.com/the-way-the-left-attacks-boris-isnt-working-there-is-another-way/) - Two social media items this week reminded me of how badly wrong the Left gets attacks on the prime minister. The first was an exchange between Dawn Butler and Tory MP Laura Trott about Boris Johnson and whether or not he's a racist. Butler clearly felt she had won the confrontation as she later posted
- [Here are the three strategies the Left keep reaching for that never work](https://nicktyrone.com/the-left-needs-to-stop-wishing-for-a-different-electorate/) - I promise this article won't be the kind of thing you could read in a right of centre publication that goes something like this: all these liberals being liberal are just so silly. Can't they see that they have to lie down and accept that the voters are right-wing? This, to be clear again, is
- [Why the Bernie Sanders campaign sucks - and what that means for politics in the US, the UK and around the world](https://nicktyrone.com/why-bernie-sanders-campaign-sucks-and-what-that-means-for-politics-in-the-us-the-uk-and-around-the-world/) - Super Tuesday did not go as planned for Bernie Sanders. The results are still coming in as I write this, but it looks like he'll only win California, Colorado, Utah and Vermont, with Biden sweeping the rest. It's still a decent set of results for Sanders in the abstract, but he was looking to emerge
- [Sadiq Kahn's rent control pledge and London NIMBYism - the problems of the metropolitan left](https://nicktyrone.com/sadiq-kahns-rent-control-pledge-and-london-nimbyism-the-problems-of-the-metropolitan-left/) - Sadiq Khan has decided to built his entire mayoral campaign on rent controls. I'm not exaggerating for effect: he has declared the upcoming London mayoral contest to be a veritable "referendum on rent controls". I was wondering whether to vote vote Rory Stewart or Sadiq Khan in May - Sadiq has thankfully made it easy
- [The Suez crisis and the dream of the US trade deal that lives on and on - and how it is always discussed on the wrong terms](https://nicktyrone.com/the-suez-crisis-and-the-dream-of-the-us-trade-deal-that-lives-on-and-on-and-how-it-is-always-discussed-on-the-wrong-terms/) - At the heart of the right-wing flavour of British Euroscepticism lives a dream trade deal with the United States of America (for reference, the heart of Lexit is communism in one country, so take heart, things could be even worse). It has always been there, going back to the mid-2000s and the rise of UKIP.
- [Why the 50,000 customs officers story is so symbolic of these ridiculous times we live in](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-50000-customs-officers-story-is-so-symbolic-of-these-ridiculous-times-we-live-in/) - The most amazing thing about the 50,000 customs officers story is the way that the government subsequently handled it. The Road Haulage Association put out a press release this week detailing that around fifty-thousand more customs officers will be needed to deal with the load of new paperwork post-Brexit. This is because they estimate that
- [Here's the problem with the Lib Dems trying to convince voters of their "progressive" credentials](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-problem-with-the-lib-dems-trying-to-convince-voters-of-their-progressive-credentials/) - I have by chance spoken to a few Lib Dems over the past fortnight about the state of the party and what they see, if any, as the chances of recovery. The answer I got back, in slightly different forms, went something like this: the Lib Dem activists and most of the parliamentary party see
- [How the government is starting to remind me of the Yes to AV campaign - and that certainly isn't good](https://nicktyrone.com/how-the-government-is-starting-to-remind-me-of-the-yes-to-av-campaign-and-that-certainly-isnt-good/) - Long time readers of this website will have known me to compare things in politics with the Yes to AV campaign a fair few times in the past. All I can say is that the Yes to AV campaign was such a perfect distillation of how not to do politics, that rare example of the
- [Here's the main problem with all political parties at the moment: the memberships](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-main-problem-with-all-political-parties-at-the-moment-the-memberships/) - What has become received wisdom is that modern politics in the West is too removed from people and their every day concerns. That parties have become too remote. While there is truth in this, the solutions all parties have taken on board to combat this problem have been the wrong ones in reaction to this
- [My review of the Labour leadership leaflets - all three covered (sort of)](https://nicktyrone.com/my-review-of-the-labour-leadership-leaflets-all-three-covered-sort-of/) - The actual starting gun to the Labour leadership contest has now been fired. Ballots go out over the next couple of days, meaning voting for the next Labour leader will be commencing very shortly. As a registered supporter this time round, I have been at the receiving end of all of the contenders' leafletting. I
- [The border down the Irish Sea issue - and where it goes from here](https://nicktyrone.com/the-border-down-the-irish-sea-issue-and-where-it-goes-from-here/) - Since the EU referendum came and went in 2016, leaving destruction and woe in its path, Ireland has been a thorn in the Eurosceptic's side. What to do in order to avoid a hard border between north and south came to dominate negotiations between the UK and the EU during Theresa May's premiership; one could
- [What Labour does not seem to understand - and why this will continue to drag them down](https://nicktyrone.com/what-labour-does-not-seem-to-understand-and-why-this-will-continue-to-drag-them-down/) - During the period between the EU referendum result becoming known and the December 2019 general election, a three and a half year epoch unto itself, many Remainer commentators found it astounding that no matter how many things the Leave campaign had stated were visibly disproven ("we hold all the cards" became "they are bullying us"),
- [This is the economic theory the Tories really seem set to test at the end of this year. To say it's risky would be vastly understating it](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-the-economic-theory-the-tories-really-seem-set-to-test-at-the-end-of-this-year-to-say-its-risky-would-be-vastly-understating-it/) - The weirdest thing about the political times we live in is that the government has pledged to make a revolutionary change at the end of this year and no one is really addressing what that might mean. Part of this is Brexit burnout; part of it is that we just had a general election in
- [The bad takes on the Irish election just keep on coming from the right. Here are the most choice examples](https://nicktyrone.com/the-bad-takes-on-the-irish-election-just-keep-on-coming-from-the-right-here-are-the-most-choice-examples/) - Suddenly, everyone in the right of centre media is an expert on Irish politics - in their own minds anyhow. The fact that Irish politics means as much to the British centre-right all of a sudden is testament alone to how well they have played their hand in the Brexit negotiations so far - not
- [A review of the latest Lib Dem Party Political Broadcast](https://nicktyrone.com/a-review-of-the-latest-lib-dem-party-political-broadcast/) - To my all my non-Lib Dem readers, an apology and a plea to bear with me. What follows is more than simply a review of the latest attempt by the Liberal Democrats to explain to Britain who they are in two minutes and forty-five seconds. It's about what constitutes the centre-ground in these fractured times
- [Why Boris Johnson isn't as safe in Number 10 as most presume - here's a way he could be out within a year](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-johnson-isnt-as-safe-in-number-10-as-most-presume-heres-a-way-he-could-be-out-within-a-year/) - I know, I know - wishful thinking, right? And before some of you out there get your hopes up that what my headline refers to is a change of government, i.e. Keir Starmer might be prime minister this time next year, think again - the Tories aren't being removed from power anytime soon. Yet Boris
- [Another nationwide referendum? Find details here on the latest wacky caper British politics might be about to inflict on us all](https://nicktyrone.com/a-referendum-on-the-bbc-the-latest-wacky-caper-british-politics-might-be-about-to-inflict-on-us-all/) - And the shitshow rolls on. Today, we have an immigration policy unveiled by the government that makes no sense, even on its own terms. They want say they want to prioritise for skill not salary, so that we can get social workers and health care professionals from abroad as needed. Okay, great. Except that salary
- [Why the Andrew Sabisky incident was not a one-off - and why there will be plenty more where that came from](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-andrew-sabisky-incident-was-not-a-one-off-and-why-there-will-plenty-more-where-that-came-from/) - The Downing Street career of Andrew Sabisky was very short-lived. Much has been said already about his interesting angle on eugenics and marital sex, so I won't rehash them here. The only thing I will say is that I find it odd that Dominic Cummings puts out a very long blog post requesting "weirdos and
- [Here is a breakdown of what is so incredibly terrible about Keir Starmer's "ten pledges"](https://nicktyrone.com/here-is-a-breakdown-of-what-is-so-mindbendingly-terrible-about-keir-starmers-ten-pledges/) - I really want to believe that Keir Starmer will be good. I want to believe that he will offer up the strong opposition that Corbyn has been so unable to provide. A couple of days ago I even tweeted: "There isn't really a party or even portion of British politics I like at the moment.
- [Here's a big problem facing the Tories no one is talking about](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-a-big-problem-facing-the-tories-no-one-is-talking-about/) - It's been mostly good news for Boris Johnson on the Labour Party front since the general election. An unnecessarily elongated leadership contest resulting in Corbyn hanging around like a very bad smell has helped dampen any scrutiny of what the government has been up to. People talk about Boris employing dead cat strategies but it
- [The latest awful turn in the Labour leadership contest shows how much existential trouble the party is in](https://nicktyrone.com/the-latest-awful-turn-in-the-labour-leadership-contest-shows-how-much-existential-trouble-the-party-is-in/) - It is fair to say that the Labour leadership contest has been a total nightmare for the left of the party. Rebecca Long-Bailey was the one to beat after Corbyn announced after the general election that he would resign at some point in the sort of near future. She was going to have Momentum and
- [Why libertarianism doesn't work and the progressive theory of history](https://nicktyrone.com/why-libertarianism-doesnt-work-and-the-progressive-theory-of-history/) - Some people think I'm a libertarian. That's because either libertarians think I'm one of them, or many on the left believe this to be my creed, which obviously makes me evil. But no, I'm not a libertarian. I used to describe myself as a classical liberal until that helpful term got hijacked by parts of
- [The western Left's reaction to Buttigieg "winning" in Iowa tells us a lot about why the Right continues to be victorious](https://nicktyrone.com/the-western-lefts-reaction-to-buttigieg-winning-in-iowa-tells-us-a-lot-about-why-the-right-continues-to-be-victorious/) - Mayor Pete hasn't even won yet. Strangely, and in a major boost to Trump's re-election hopes, the count in the Iowa Democrat presidential caucus continues on. This, however, has not stopped Bernie Sanders supporters across the west ganging up on Pete Buttigieg for daring to challenge their saviour in the Midwest. The whole thing is
- [On reflection, this could be the Liberal Democrats biggest problem](https://nicktyrone.com/on-reflection-this-could-be-the-liberal-democrats-biggest-problem/) - In the immediate wake of the general election in December, I wrote a long piece about what I thought had gone wrong for the Lib Dems in a campaign they entered with massive hopes, only to end up losing net one seat. Last week, I wrote three pieces detailing the only space I feel the
- [Are Labour destined to lose the next general election? There is way for them to win](https://nicktyrone.com/are-labour-destined-to-lose-the-next-general-election-there-is-way-open-for-them-to-win/) - Two things are remarked upon at the moment as being definite for the Labour Party: that Keir Starmer will be their next leader and they will lose the next general election. Yet for everything I have said in the past about the Tories being in power until 2035, I don't think the latter needs to
- [Here's why I think the "Remainers are the ones really responsible for hard Brexit" theory is so wrong](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-disagree-with-the-remainers-have-made-brexit-worse-theory-so-passionately/) - A popular thesis, doing the rounds of SW1, is that Remainers via their intransigence have made a harder Brexit than would have otherwise been coming our way inevitable. I think there are several massive problems with this theory to say the least. For a start, Theresa May's Brexit, at least what we know of it
- [Why Remainers shouldn't feel too glum today](https://nicktyrone.com/why-remainers-shouldnt-feel-too-glum-today/) - Two years ago, I wrote an article for The New European about how I thought that perhaps the country needed a hard Brexit in order to move on from the Brexit wars. That enough people were never going to turn against Brexit unless they experienced the downsides of it first-hand. Between then and the present
- [Some further thoughts on Orange Book liberalism as it pertains to the Lib Dems, based on feedback from you lot](https://nicktyrone.com/some-further-thoughts-on-orange-book-liberalism-as-it-pertains-to-the-lib-dems-based-on-feedback-from-you-lot/) - Over this past week, I have written a couple of articles about the direction I believe the Lib Dems need to take if they wish to become electorally relevant again in the near future. To summarise and simplify, I said the party needed to move to the right and become more pro-business in order to
- [Why this is the only political space available to the Lib Dems - and why they won't take it](https://nicktyrone.com/why-this-is-the-only-political-space-available-to-the-lib-dems-and-why-they-wont-take-it/) - Last Friday, I published an article on this site about why Lib Dem hopes of an alliance, formal or otherwise, with the Labour Party was complete fantasy. Near the close of the article, I added the following as an afterthought: "I close with something I’ve said many times before, but worth repeating here: all of
- [In order for the green movement to truly prosper, it needs to do this](https://nicktyrone.com/in-order-for-the-green-movement-to-prosper-it-needs-to-do-this/) - In April of last year, George Monbiot went on Frankie Boyle's show and gave a speech about what we need to do to halt and reverse climate change. There were several prescriptions, some of them sensible, like switching to plant based diets, several of them less sturdy. Amongst the ones that fit into the latter
- [Here are the major arguments against the Tories as stated by their opponents - and why they all suck](https://nicktyrone.com/here-are-the-major-arguments-against-the-tories-as-stated-by-their-opponents-and-why-they-all-suck/) - In the wake of the election result, there have been many takes on the Tory victory from the centre, the centre-left and the proper left, all of them very, very bad. I thought it was worth taking the time to go through them and talk about why they don't work the way they are intended.
- [What the Lib Dems keep failing to understand about the Labour Party](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-lib-dems-keep-failing-to-understand-about-the-labour-party/) - "I think we've got an opportunity now to truly bury the hatchet with the Labour Party," said Layla Moran, who is very likely to the be the next Lib Dem leader, while on talk radio a couple of weeks ago. She also said she wouldn't rule out a more formal relationship being established between the
- [How Boris Johnson's agenda is a lot like Tony Blair's - and what that might mean for the way the UK is governed](https://nicktyrone.com/how-boris-johnson-is-a-lot-like-tony-blair-and-what-that-might-mean-for-the-next-couple-of-years/) - Usually when people compare other British politicians to Tony Blair, they mean the politician in question is presentationally slick but supposedly substance light; or that they represent centrism of some flavour; or that they are on the political centrist extreme of their party. I'm about to compare Boris Johnson and Tony Blair in a much
- [Why being on the left in Britain is now as difficult as being on the right in America](https://nicktyrone.com/why-being-on-the-left-in-britain-is-now-as-difficult-as-being-on-the-right-in-america/) - It is really difficult to be right-wing in America. And by that I do not mean it is tricky for right-wing people to get on in the US; what I mean is, there is such a high bar to being considered truly right-wing in the States that is difficult to be right-wing enough to clear
- [A guide to why most voters think Boris is doing a good job thus far for all the Boris-haters out there](https://nicktyrone.com/a-guide-to-why-most-voters-think-boris-is-doing-a-good-job-thus-far-for-all-the-boris-haters-out-there/) - Most Remainers on my social media timelines are stunned that people are reacting so positively to Boris Johnson and the Conservative party since the general election came and went. "He went on a posh holiday for a fortnight!" you all bellow. "Surely people can see what a charlatan he is!". Evidently not. There hasn't been
- [Why an elected House of Lords is a bad idea](https://nicktyrone.com/why-an-elected-house-of-lords-is-a-bad-idea/) - It is often the case in Labour leadership contests that constitutional reform plays a role, only to disappear from the scene once the new leader is chosen. This is likely to be the case this time with Rebecca Long-Bailey's idea of having an elected upper chamber to replace the House of Lords, whether she wins
- [Here is the one lesson from Blairism that I think Labour should relearn](https://nicktyrone.com/here-is-the-one-lesson-from-blairism-that-i-think-labour-should-learn/) - Asked by Laura Kuenssberg if he had any friends who were Tories, Keir Starmer answered: "Yes, of course I do." He went onto explain that when his father died in 2018, at the height of some of the Brexit battles in parliament, several Tory MPs spoke to him about the loss of his father, trying
- [Another underrated musical artist that may change your life: here is MF DOOM and his story](https://nicktyrone.com/another-underrated-musical-artist-that-may-change-your-life-here-is-mf-doom-and-his-story/) - Over the six years I have written this blog, I have on occasion told you to tune in to some obscure musical act for what I have taken to be your own spiritual good. My article on Jandek converted one bloke who wrote to me subsequently to say that he "obsessively listens to Jandek most
- [As if there wasn't enough in the way already, here's an added impediment to any party beating the Tories in any general election held within the next fifteen years](https://nicktyrone.com/as-if-there-wasnt-enough-in-the-way-already-heres-an-added-impediment-to-any-party-beating-the-tories-in-any-general-election-held-within-the-next-fifteen-years/) - The Tories have a lot going their way. They are going to do a boundary review that will make the new constituencies more Tory and less Labour friendly (and way less Lib Dem friendly, if such a thing can be imagined). The government looks like it is going to make ID mandatory at polling stations.
- [Here are the three things the left gets wrong](https://nicktyrone.com/here-are-the-three-things-the-left-gets-wrong/) - I've written a fair bit about why the left lost and what the right gets correct so as to make it harder for the Left to win. Today, in light of the Labour leadership contest, I'd like to talk about three changes to the way the left operates that I think are vital if they
- [As ever, this is the big, overriding problem for the Liberal Democrats](https://nicktyrone.com/as-ever-this-is-the-big-overriding-problem-for-the-liberal-democrats/) - I haven't written anything about the Lib Dems since the week following the general election. This is because I haven't been able to think of anything positive to say and no one wants to read about how the Liberal Democrats are completely screwed. However, having turned this over in my mind during the past few
- [Jeremy Corbyn wasn't the worst ever Labour leader - this guy was](https://nicktyrone.com/jeremy-corbyn-wasnt-the-worst-ever-labour-leader-this-guy-was/) - A lot of journalists who were never particularly predisposed to Jeremy Corbyn and his strange cult of personality are dancing on his leadership's grave, even while he is still technically in situ. Many of them are pronouncing Corbyn Labour's worst ever leader, almost as if this were so obvious it needn't be explained. Now, many
- [How a key element of Blairism has made a roaring comeback within the Labour Party, even being used by the left](https://nicktyrone.com/the-problem-for-the-labour-party-is-again-triangulation-how-to-deal-with-it-how-to-escape-from-it/) - I feel like I should write about something happening in politics other than the race to be the next Labour leader. Yet I can't help myself; the whole thing is such a fascinating clusterfuck, I cannot turn away. Barry Gardiner's 24-hour challenge. The spectacular falling apart of Rebecca Long-Bailey's campaign - that has still not
- [Why Brexit will continue to be a problem for Labour for the foreseeable future](https://nicktyrone.com/why-brexit-will-continue-to-be-a-problem-for-labour-for-the-foreseeable-future/) - One of the more interesting moments already in the nascent race to see who becomes the next leader of the opposition was when Jess Phillips appeared to suggest that Labour could campaign to rejoin the EU, if the conditions were right - and then, a few days later, appeared to retract this possibility. What the
- [A review of "Rise of Skywalker", a look at McDonald's new business model, then melting into a rant about society](https://nicktyrone.com/a-review-of-rise-of-skywalker-a-look-at-mcdonalds-new-business-plan-then-melting-into-a-rant-about-society/) - Took the kids to see Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker yesterday afternoon. Before I tell you about the movie, I need to talk about what happened immediately afterwards. My son was thirsty and there was a McDonald's across the road from the cinema. I figured it was the easiest and quickest way to get him
- [What the Corbynistas and the centrists they despise have in common](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-corbynistas-and-the-centrists-they-despise-have-in-common/) - If I had been in a coma for the last month and when I awoke could only judge by Labour/FBPE/Lib Dem Twitter what the result of the general election had been, I would assume that we'd had a hung parliament and that the Tories had caved in and opted for a second EU referendum to
- [Why I really think the Right keeps winning and the Left keeps losing](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-really-think-the-right-keeps-winning-and-the-left-keeps-losing/) - Everyone is doing post-mortems of why Labour and the Lib Dems did so badly in the general election and why the Tories were able to make such a massive electoral breakthrough. Understandably, a lot of this has focused on leaders, manifesto policies and short campaign tactics. I would like to now move onto the bigger
- [Why the "Labour's been losing voters for decades" explanation for the 2019 general election defeat is such a terrible one](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-labours-been-losing-voters-for-decades-explanation-for-the-2019-general-election-defeat-is-such-a-terrible-one/) - Since "It was all Brexit's fault" as an explanation for why Labour got decimated in a general election last month didn't work as well as intended, the Left have cottoned onto a new one. Labour's been losing voters for ages, apparently, decades even; it's just that Jeremy was in the wrong place at the wrong
- [On the final day of it, a review of the last decade](https://nicktyrone.com/on-the-final-day-of-it-a-review-of-the-last-decade/) - There has been a weird lack of any sort of media pieces about the end of the decade. This is in sharp contrast to say, the end of the millennium, where everyone and his dog had a go at such a thing; even the end of the noughties brought with them a cavalcade of self-reflection.
- [Why Keir Starmer might have a better chance of becoming the next Labour leader than many think](https://nicktyrone.com/why-keir-starmer-might-have-a-better-chance-of-becoming-the-next-labour-leader-than-many-think/) - This article could simply be some form of optimism rearing its head after having digested the general election result and decided to look on the bright side of life again. Bear that in mind. But I think Keir Starmer might have a much better chance at winning the leadership contest early next year than a
- [This is the only way the Labour Party can win the next election - and who I think the Labour membership will pick as leader as a result](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-the-only-way-the-labour-party-can-win-the-next-election-and-who-i-think-the-labour-membership-will-pick-as-leader-as-a-result/) - A lot of people seem to have already conceded the next general election to the Tories. It is easy to understand why. Labour's reaction to their crushing loss has not been inspiring. The Left have an arrogance that is truly breathtaking yet understandable: the membership have backed them every step of the way since 2015.
- [Here's one thing that was definitely positive about the general election result](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-one-thing-that-was-definitely-positive-about-the-general-election-result/) - I know many of you are still hurting from what happened last Thursday; still trying to absorb its meaning. I think I've discovered what for me at least was the most positive thing about the general election result: it brings us back to representative democracy again, finally ditching the ill-conceived flirtation with direct democracy we
- [My "Labour membership" dilemma](https://nicktyrone.com/my-labour-membership-dilemma/) - Imagine you're a liberal person like me. You found the general election campaign torturous because on one hand you didn't want Boris to win, but you also wanted Corbyn to be politically annihilated, and the chance of both of those things happening simultaneously seemed slim. Ah, but there was one hope: what if the Lib
- [These are the two ways I think Brexit unfolds from here](https://nicktyrone.com/these-are-the-two-ways-i-think-brexit-unfolds-from-here/) - As everyone will now agree, we are leaving the European Union in short order. Well, sort of. We lose our MEPs and seat on the Council in a few weeks time, once the Withdrawal Bill passes parliament, but after that we go into a transition period in which everything apart from our having a voice
- [Some initial thoughts on how the Labour Party could rebuild from this defeat and win the next election](https://nicktyrone.com/some-initial-thoughts-on-how-the-labour-party-could-rebuild-from-this-defeat-and-win-the-next-election/) - Some of you might think I'm the wrong person to write this article. I've never voted Labour at a general election and I've spent most of the last four and half years slagging off Corbyn and telling anyone who would listen why everything Labour was doing was wrong. But that's why I think I'm the
- [First thoughts on the 2019 general election result](https://nicktyrone.com/first-thoughts-on-the-2019-general-election-result/) - Yesterday afternoon seems so long ago now. Back when we had some vague hope that somehow the Tories wouldn't get a majority, yet Labour would lose badly enough to get rid of Corbyn. Tactical voting would work, it really would. Raab and Johnson are going to lose their seats. Now, we're here in the early
- [My final thoughts on the 2019 general election before polling day](https://nicktyrone.com/my-final-thoughts-on-the-2019-general-election-before-polling-day/) - I know we have still have three days until it's all over, but I don't see what's going to change in that time that will give us any more clarity on what will happen. It is now in the hands of fate. The polls over the weekend have the Tories going up a little and
- [What I learned about football after a ten year absence - and what I think that taught me about modern England](https://nicktyrone.com/what-i-learned-about-football-after-a-ten-year-absence-and-what-i-think-that-taught-me-about-modern-england/) - It started with my daughter taking an interest in Fulham Football Club. This happened after some players from Fulham had come to her school. Given Craven Cottage is located miles away from her school in south London, I thought this was somewhat peculiar, but I had no reason to think she was making it up.
- [The many paradoxes of Boris Johnson - here are my favourite three](https://nicktyrone.com/the-many-paradoxes-of-boris-johnson-here-are-my-favourite-three/) - One of the things you must do to keep your sanity during this general election campaign, which thankfully has less than a week less to run, is amuse yourself with the paradoxes that exist at the heart of the Tory campaign and indeed, Boris Johnson himself, ones that have hardly been explored during the last
- [The magic of Ween's "The Pod"](https://nicktyrone.com/the-magic-of-weens-the-pod/) - I'm writing this today because I've run out of things to say about the general election. What will be, will be. I would like to apologise also to anyone coming onto this page from somewhere other than the UK, and/or who googled "The Pod" in 2023 and have been thrown by this introductory paragraph. Don't
- [What happens to Brexit after December 12th? There are two likely outcomes](https://nicktyrone.com/what-happens-to-brexit-after-december-12th-there-are-two-likely-outcomes/) - Unless a miracle occurs and the Tories do not end up with a majority after the general election, there are two main ways that Brexit goes from there. Given this is the future of the country, it is astonishing how little this is being discussed. Except when you remember that neither of the two largest
- [I've never been turned off by an election campaign this much, ever. I think I know why](https://nicktyrone.com/ive-never-been-turned-off-by-an-election-campaign-this-much-ever-i-think-i-know-why/) - I got about fifteen minutes into the BBC "leaders" debate last night before I couldn't take any more. The whole thing was just too depressing. The Labour Party sent out Rebecca Long-Bailey to fill the slot. I realise she is the heir apparent to the Labour leadership, but she's shadow BEIS - not even one
- [Why I think the "vote tactically" urge has backfired on Remainers](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-think-the-vote-tactically-urge-has-backfired-on-remainers/) - Remainer Twitterland has been filled with "vote tactically for the person best placed to get rid of the Tory in your area" sentiment since the election was called. I have found this depressing - almost oppressive - yet I couldn't understand why. Something about it seemed off to me. Part of it was that many
- [Will the Left ever learn? The signs are not positive](https://nicktyrone.com/will-the-left-ever-learn-the-signs-are-not-positive/) - Last night's release of the MRP poll from YouGov gave us our first concrete sense of where the voters are at the moment. Not just a poll but a country-wide prediction of seats. It put the Tories on 359, Labour on 211, SNP 43, and the poor Lib Dems on 13, technically seven down on
- [Here's what is so different in this election campaign compared with 2017](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-what-is-so-different-in-this-election-campaign-compared-with-2017/) - There are endless theories about why the 2017 general election, which had been assumed throughout to be heading for a large Tory majority, ended in a hung parliament. The main factors that are usually cited are: the Tories' bad campaign, in particular May's poor performance; Remain voters gathering behind Labour in order to try and
- [The Tories are on the brink of establishing an hegemony that could last the entirety of the next decade. There's only one thing stopping them](https://nicktyrone.com/the-tories-are-on-the-brink-of-a-hegemony-that-could-last-the-entirety-of-the-next-decade-theres-only-one-thing-stopping-them/) - The polls look dire for anyone but the Conservative party. Labour are floundering, as they were always going to, and the Lib Dems have been effectively squeezed. The latter has come about due to a combination of the fact that both the Tories and Labour have an interest in seeing the Lib Dems crushed, the
- [Why the political media truism "The Lib Dems Revoke Article 50 policy was a mistake" isn't true. The real problem is deeper](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-political-media-truism-the-lib-dems-revoke-article-50-policy-was-a-mistake-isnt-true-the-real-problem-is-deeper/) - The Lib Dem campaign is in trouble. At least, this is becoming the narrative, which during a general election campaign means it is reality. Political pundits are looking at all elements of the Lib Dem campaign and finding fault in every corner. This is standard: in successful campaigns, every element is seen to be genius,
- [Why the Lib Dems saying that they would never put Jeremy Corbyn into Number 10 is smart politics](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-lib-dems-saying-that-they-would-never-put-jeremy-corbyn-into-number-10-is-smart-politics/) - A couple of years ago, in the wake of the 2017 general election, I wrote a book called "Apocalypse Delayed: Why the Left are Still in Trouble" which advanced a theory about the Labour Party that is about to be tested, namely that they would lose, again. I also wrote about the woes of the
- [Why the winner of last night's ITV leader's debate could turn out to be Jo Swinson](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-winner-of-last-nights-itv-leaders-debate-could-turn-out-to-be-jo-swinson/) - For those of you who didn't watch the leader's debate on ITV, which hopefully was most of you, it was as dire as expected. Johnson just barked campaign lines in a chaotic, sometimes random way; he had nothing new whatsoever to say for himself. Corbyn looked tired and fed up and though he was a
- [Why it is ridiculous to say that the 2019 general election won't tell us what the country thinks about Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/why-it-is-ridiculous-to-say-that-the-2019-general-election-wont-tell-us-what-the-country-thinks-about-brexit/) - Here's my main problem with the People's Vote argument: it seems to be taken for granted in Remain circles that the 2016 EU referendum was a bad idea (which is was) but that the fix to this problem is to do it all over again. It's like thinking the best way to treat someone whose
- [My prediction for the 2019 general election](https://nicktyrone.com/my-prediction-for-the-2019-general-election/) - I can already feel it: I will regret writing this article. Partly because I was so wrong last time, being sure right up until the reveal of the exit poll that the Tories had won a huge majority. I'll also regret it partly because making any sort of prediction on how this election is going
- [Steve Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, makes an inadvertent pitch to Remain in the EU](https://nicktyrone.com/steve-barclay-the-brexit-secretary-makes-an-inadvertent-pitch-to-remain-in-the-eu/) - Steve Barclay is the Brexit Secretary. I'm telling you this as some casual readers might not be aware of this fact given we've had so many Brexit Secretaries already. Anyhow, that's what Steve does - now you know. His contribution to the Tory general election campaign thus far has been to make a video about
- [Why the Lib Dems shouldn't stand candidates in Canterbury or Uxbridge](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-lib-dems-shouldnt-stand-candidates-in-canterbury-or-uxbridge/) - The Lib Dem PPC for Canterbury, Tim Walker, stepped down as the candidate last night. Many Remainers were overjoyed that Walker had decided to stand aside to help Rosie Duffield, a Labour Remainer, keep the seat. Then, LD HQ announced it was putting in a new candidate. Cue outrage from Remainers across social media. This
- [The Brexit party has stood down in Tory seats - is this a good or bad thing for the Conservatives? Here's the calculation that will determine that](https://nicktyrone.com/the-brexit-party-has-stood-down-in-tory-seats-is-this-a-good-or-bad-thing-for-the-conservatives-heres-the-calculation-that-will-determine-that/) - The big news from yesterday is that Nigel Farage will be standing down Brexit party candidates in all 317 seats the Conservatives won in the 2017 general election. Put aside the oddness of this criteria - the Brexit party won't be standing in Anna Soubry's seat, who is no longer a Tory MP and a
- [Why the Tories are still so far ahead in the polls](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-tories-are-still-so-far-ahead-in-the-polls/) - Despite the Conservative party getting their election campaign off to what has by consensus been a rocky start, they are still around 10-12 points ahead of their nearest competitor, the Labour Party, in the polls. Some people are confused as to how this can be - and what can be done by opposition parties to
- [Why you should vote Lib Dem this election, reason #132](https://nicktyrone.com/why-you-should-vote-lib-dem-this-election-reason-132/) - The news this morning is that a Labour PPC has stood down from running after being accused of calling a fellow Labour councillor in the same area "Shylock", his excuse being that he apparently had no idea that Shylock was Jewish. It's not just the Tory campaign that is in meltdown then. Also nice to
- [The Day the Clown Cried: why Boris Johnson's campaign is falling apart around his ears](https://nicktyrone.com/the-day-the-clown-cried-why-boris-johnsons-campaign-is-falling-apart-around-his-ears/) - In the spring of 1972, comedian Jerry Lewis went into production on a film he directed and starred in entitled "The Day the Clown Cried". It was about a circus clown who is imprisoned in a Nazi war camp and finds his act appealing to the children there. It ends with Lewis' character leading some
- [Could the Tories be about to repeat 2017 - only possibly worse this time round?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-the-tories-be-about-to-repeat-2017-only-possibly-worse-this-time-round/) - Yesterday was a bad day for the Conservative's nascent election campaign. Jacob Rees-Mogg's comments about Grenfell victims supposedly lacking commons sense were both offensive and amateurish. The damage wrought by the JRM episode was doubled down upon by Andrew Bridgen, who in trying to defend Rees-Mogg only made things much worse. Spending part of a
- [Why the Lib Dems need to attract former Tory voters and how they can do so without alienating Labour voters](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-lib-dems-need-to-attract-former-tory-voters-and-how-they-can-do-so-without-alienating-labour-voters/) - As one could have predicted, the squeeze is on. The Brexit party is seeing their poll numbers decrease, with a corresponding increase in the Tory polling numbers, while a lot of people saying they would vote Lib Dem are thinking they are going to vote Labour again because that's how these things work. The Lib
- [Why people should vote Lib Dem for reasons beyond Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/why-people-should-vote-lib-dem-for-reasons-beyond-brexit/) - On Saturday, I went to a football match with my daughter. It was at Craven Cottage, a ground I have always wanted to visit. For reference, I haven't been to a football game in a long time; to give you a time scale here, at the last match I attended, David Beckham was playing. We
- [Cost, complexity, fear: why it's up to the Lib Dems to deconstruct the Tory election platform and why that is crucial](https://nicktyrone.com/cost-complexity-fear-why-its-up-to-the-lib-dems-to-deconstruct-the-tory-election-platform-and-why-that-is-crucial/) - By common bubble consent, Labour have had the best start to the election campaign. The Tories seem to have not got started yet, either tactically or accidentally; the Lib Dems have been a little wobbly out of the gate, but nothing even close to the magnitude of "homosexuality is a sin", so plenty of time
- [A note on tactical voting and the fallacies associated with it](https://nicktyrone.com/a-note-on-tactical-voting-and-the-fallacies-associated-with-it/) - Since the December 12th general election became assured, Remain Twitter has gone crazy. We wanted a People's Vote! Now that we don't have it, people have to vote tactically! Tactically, do you understand? Here are some quick thoughts on the subject of tactical voting and in particular, how it relates to the 2019 general election
- [Why I think a People's Vote is a bad idea](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-think-a-peoples-vote-is-a-bad-idea/) - I wasn't going to say what I'm about to say in this article. I was going to remain silent on this topic. Yet the combination of Remainers on Twitter putting out some variant of "Want a People's Vote before a general election, please" and the visible, public melting of the People's Vote campaign itself has
- [Why we need a general election as quickly as possible](https://nicktyrone.com/why-we-need-a-general-election-as-quickly-as-possible/) - Over the weekend, a lot of Remainers vented their unhappiness on social media toward the Lib Dem/SNP plan to put forward a bill that might allow parliament to bypass Labour and allow a general election to happen in December. It was said that these parties were acting in their self-interest and that what we need
- [We are stuck in Brexit purgatory again. It is difficult to see an immediate way out](https://nicktyrone.com/we-are-stuck-in-brexit-purgatory-again-it-is-difficult-to-see-an-immediate-way-out/) - I'll admit that I am still hoping for a general election in 2019, although I think the possibility of it is fading quickly. Corbyn doesn't want to ram it through against the will of the PLP - although I do think he wants an election, as it is the only way for him to avoid
- [The Withdrawal Agreement Bill has been "paused". What happens now?](https://nicktyrone.com/the-withdrawal-agreement-bill-has-been-paused-what-happens-now/) - Last night, Boris Johnson reaped what he had sowed. The programme motion, that which would have set out a timetable for him to get the WAB voted through parliament in time for him to keep his October 31st promise to the nation if every other step had worked out for him from there, was voted
- [Why the Lib Dems should vote for the customs union amendment (probably)](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-lib-dems-should-vote-for-the-customs-union-amendment-probably/) - Things are moving very fast in British politics at the moment, so this article may become redundant quickly. But it looks from here like the following is going to happen: Bercow will disallow MV2 on the Boris Withdrawal Agreement; Johnson will shrug and move the bill that enacts it, the problem with this being it
- [Here's why Labour MPs in Leave seats should not vote for the Withdrawal Agreement on Saturday](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-why-labour-mps-in-leave-seats-should-not-vote-for-the-withdrawal-agreement-on-saturday/) - I would like to address this article directly to those Labour MPs who are in seats that voted heavily to leave the EU in the 2016 EU referendum, and as a result are seriously considering voting for Boris Johnson's Withdrawal Agreement on Saturday. I will use this space to try and talk you out of
- [What Extinction Rebellion tells you about the problems of the wider left](https://nicktyrone.com/what-extinction-rebellion-tells-you-about-the-problems-of-the-wider-left/) - Last night, ITV cameras caught Extinction Rebellion protesters standing on top of tube trains on the Jubilee line at Canning Town. Judging by the footage, the protest was not a success. Prospective passengers on the platform got so angry with the protestors, one of the XR chaps got physically dragged off the top of the
- [Why Remainers should be worried if a People's Vote comes to pass](https://nicktyrone.com/why-remainers-should-be-worried-if-a-peoples-vote-comes-to-pass/) - There was a good article in the Spectator by Nick Cohen yesterday about the People's Vote campaign and how while they have done well to advance the cause of getting a second referendum seriously considered, they haven't done a lot of thinking about what to do if a referendum actually happens. What ideas will the
- [How Brexit being reduced to nothing whatsoever may soon become official government policy](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-being-reduced-to-nothing-whatsoever-may-soon-become-official-government-policy/) - In the 1969 film "Putney Swope", directed by Robert Downey Snr (yes, Robert Downey Jnr's father), the chairman of the board of an advertising company dies in the first scene. The board thus need to elect a new chairman. Putney Swope, the only black man on the board, is elected by accident - since the
- [What is Boris Johnson up to with the Irish? Here are the three possibilities](https://nicktyrone.com/what-is-boris-johnson-up-to-with-the-irish-here-are-the-three-possibilities/) - After the party comes the hangover. Following all of yesterday's hype about "light at the end of the tunnel" and taking Leo Varadkar's very guarded words about the possibility of a deal being reached between the EU and the UK next week as being confirmation that "Boris has done it" by certain sections of the
- [Here's the problem with the second EU referendum before a general election idea](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-problem-with-the-second-eu-referendum-before-a-general-election-idea/) - An extension to the Article 50 period now seems inevitable. There was never any chance of a withdrawal agreement being reached and Johnson was never serious about trying to get one, nor was the EU going to bend for anything that made things worse than the May deal from their perspective. The government is pretending
- [The reason why the Brexit project continues to fail is because it is completely empty and cannot be made real](https://nicktyrone.com/the-reason-why-the-brexit-project-continues-to-fail-is-because-it-is-completely-empty-and-cannot-be-made-real/) - After the EU referendum result landed in June 2016, I was deeply distraught. I had been pro-European and argued the pro-EU cause well before it was in any way fashionable. Yet once May became prime minister and laid out her Brexit stall, it became obvious to me that leaving the EU was inevitable. We had
- [How the Brexit worm might be about to turn](https://nicktyrone.com/how-the-brexit-worm-might-be-about-to-turn/) - My father is someone I've always thought of as a core Leaver. He once spouted the "Nazi Germany lives on within the EU" line to me - in 2009, so way before this was common currency. He liked Farage/UKIP and felt the Tories under Cameron were too liberal and cuddly. His feelings toward Theresa May
- [Boris Johnson has just handed Nigel Farage his general election campaign on a plate](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnson-has-just-handed-nigel-farage-his-general-election-campaign-on-a-plate/) - In 2013, I went to a Bruges Group fringe at Manchester Town Hall, which was just outside of the Tory conference going on in the city at the same time. The panellists were Nigel Farage, Bill Cash, Peter Oborne and someone chairing I can't recall. Bill Cash started and went on and on about how
- [Corbyn is standing in the way of a government of national unity. This is probably why](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-is-standing-in-the-way-of-a-government-of-national-unity-this-is-probably-why/) - While the Tories were in Manchester at their national conference this week, the opposition met to decide next moves. The choice to be made was do they try and bring forward the date on which Johnson has to ask the EU for an extension, or do they vote to bring the government down and replace
- [What was Conservative party conference really like this year?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-was-conservative-party-conference-really-like-this-year/) - The big news on this, the final day of Tory conference, is that Boris Johnson has come up with a new fix on the Irish border situation. It's all ready to present to the EU in what sounds like a "take it or leave it, continental scum" sort of manner. I didn't think there could
- [Boris Johnson's plan looks to be built on goading parliament to bring him down and have another prime minster](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnsons-plan-looks-to-be-built-on-goading-parliament-to-bring-him-down-and-have-another-prime-minster/) - When Johnson stood in the Commons, having been unwillingly recalled there by a decision of the Supreme Court, and said things he must have known would rile Labour MPs on a personal level, I wondered what was going in his head. The Jo Cox stuff was beyond the pale, and I refuse to believe he
- [What should the Lib Dem fiscal policy be going into the next general election?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-should-the-lib-dem-fiscal-policy-be-going-into-the-next-general-election/) - With the Tories becoming a more shrill version of UKIP with less professionalism and a worse leader, and the Labour Party becoming the Socialist Workers Party with greater factionalism, the political opportunity for the Liberal Democrats is vast. Everyone who even casually watches politics knows this. However, this is easy to say and harder for
- [What the hell does Boris Johnson do now? Here are his only real options after the Supreme Court ruling](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-hell-does-boris-johnson-do-now-here-are-his-only-real-options-after-the-supreme-court-ruling/) - What was so amazing about the Supreme Court ruling today, the one that declared Johnson's prorogation of parliament null and void, for me at least, wasn't the ruling itself but the fact that the decision was unanimous. It was a thumping defeat for the government. Interviewed from New York, the prime minister was bullish in
- [What's Labour conference this year really like?](https://nicktyrone.com/whats-labour-conference-this-year-really-like/) - All of the reports from the wider media here in Brighton have been focused on two things: one, Labour infighting, centring on the attempt to remove Tom Watson from the Deputy Leader position; two, Labour's more radical policy ideas like abolishing private schools and the 32-hour week. Neither of them strike me as being electorally
- [There seems to me to be a lot of fantasy talk about Boris Johnson getting a "new deal" from the EU. What is the reality?](https://nicktyrone.com/there-seems-to-me-to-be-a-lot-of-fantasy-talk-about-boris-johnson-getting-a-new-deal-from-the-eu-what-is-the-reality/) - In the history of the Brexit debacle, one period really stands out for me. It was December 2017. I remember being confused about the relaxed mode the political media were in given it seemed to me like the Conservative party must be about to explode. Theresa May was on the verge of agreeing the parameters
- [As their conference is about to begin, the Labour Party is at the crossroads](https://nicktyrone.com/as-their-conference-is-about-to-begin-the-labour-party-is-at-a-cross-roads/) - I'm heading to Brighton for Labour conference on Sunday. It is my tenth in a row. Despite having never been a member or even seriously considered becoming one, I always enjoy Labour conference, every year. It is younger and cooler than any of the other conferences - even the if politics and the policy ideas
- [The Lib Dems revoke Article 50 policy has already paid off by causing Caroline Lucas to make an unforced error](https://nicktyrone.com/the-lib-dems-revoke-article-50-has-already-paid-off-by-causing-caroline-lucas-to-make-an-unforced-error/) - Beyond anything else, the Lib Dems switching to a policy to revoke Article 50 if a majority is achieved has meant that the party has been the centre of the political conversation for the past week in a way I can't remember them being since the 2015 general election came and went. For the Lib
- [Why the Lib Dems need to target Corbyn's seat, hard - and how best to do it](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-lib-dems-need-to-target-corbyns-seat-hard-and-how-best-to-do-it/) - I got back from Lib Dem conference yesterday - it was my first Lib Dem autumn conference for three years. I enjoyed it. The party was upbeat - mind you, the Lib Dems would be upbeat if parliament could somehow find a way for a party to have negative seats in it, so when there
- [Boris Johnson has made a People's Vote more likely than ever - is it deliberate?](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnson-has-made-a-peoples-vote-more-likely-than-ever-is-it-deliberate/) - Several Tory rebels, from those 21 MPs who had the whip removed, have publicly stated that another EU referendum might be a way out of the current Brexit predicament. Behind closed doors, several are privately considering backing a referendum. This is what was always likely to happen when Johnson kicked them out of the Conservative
- [How this one move could finish off Boris Johnson and his party - and it will be self-inflicted](https://nicktyrone.com/how-this-one-move-could-finish-off-boris-johnson-and-his-party-and-it-will-be-self-inflicted/) - Everyone in Westminster is trying to work out how Boris Johnson wriggles out of the cage he put himself in. He says he won't ask for an extension, yet will obey the law. This appears to be impossible to achieve. There is one way he can do it, of course: get a withdrawal agreement through
- [The lessons of the general election of 2017 have been weirdly forgotten, by Johnson, Cummings and the political media. Here's why that matters](https://nicktyrone.com/the-lessons-of-the-general-election-of-2017-have-been-weirdly-forgotten-by-johnson-cummings-and-the-political-media-heres-why-that-matters/) - Do you remember "crush the saboteurs"? Recall when Theresa May's Tories had a double digit lead over Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party? How in the May 2017 local elections, the Conservative party gained 563 seats and Labour lost almost 400? How all of this led to political pundits - including yours truly - to predict a
- [Why I think Boris Johnson has put himself into an impossible position](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-think-boris-johnson-has-put-himself-in-checkmate-with-no-escape/) - The right-wing newspapers still crow about how brilliantly Boris Johnson is doing; yes, it may look to the casual observer as if he's lost every vote since becoming PM and seems to be visibly disintegrating in the chamber, but no. It's all part of an ingenious plan to crush the saboteurs. Back in reality, I
- [Here's why I think Boris Johnson miscalculated yesterday, potentially very badly](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-why-i-think-boris-johnson-miscalculated-yesterday-potentially-very-badly/) - Yesterday was a bad day for Boris Johnson. In the chamber, he looked and sounded terrible; a performance that could be described as sub-May, and I didn't even think that could be a thing 24 hours ago. I liken it to a rap battle in which MCs like Dominic Grieve and Yvette Cooper were spitting
- [This is what I took away from Boris Johnson's "speech" yesterday evening](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-what-i-took-away-from-boris-johnsons-speech-yesterday-evening/) - The political media like to converge on a consensus of events and to do so very quickly after something has taken place. Yesterday's Boris Johnson rambling into a microphone for six minutes is no exception. What had been briefed heavily beforehand was that unless MPs give up on their quest to get legislation through the
- [This is what the Lib Dem messaging on Brexit should be in any snap general election](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-what-the-lib-dem-messaging-on-brexit-should-be-in-any-snap-general-election/) - Back in March of this year, an online petition went up on the parliament.uk website. Online petitions rarely gather that many signatures, partly because they often cover obscure topics, but also because most people have cottoned onto the fact that they are never taken seriously by parliament regardless of the numbers they attract. The one
- [How Brexit created the demise (for now, at least) of British conservatism](https://nicktyrone.com/how-brexit-created-the-demise-for-now-at-least-of-british-conservatism/) - Writing in the foreword of the 1946 edition of his own novel from 15 years previous, "Brave New World", Aldous Huxley said this: "For the last 30 years there have been no conservatives; there have only been nationalistic radicals of the right and nationalistic radicals of the left." Huxley saw the First World War -
- [Johnson proroguing parliament is a gigantic dare to Remainers. Here's where I think it takes us](https://nicktyrone.com/johnson-proroguing-parliament-is-a-gigantic-dare-to-remainers/) - The big news yesterday was that the opposition leaders had managed to have a productive meeting about what do to try and prevent a no deal Brexit. Even Corbyn had been brought on side with a plan to attempt to halt it through legislation. Given the number of Tory MPs who would be willing to
- [Why revocation of Article 50 is a much larger possibility than is being talked about at the moment](https://nicktyrone.com/why-revocation-of-article-50-is-a-much-larger-possibility-than-is-being-talked-about-at-the-moment/) - The "national unity" government idea continues to hog breathing space in Westminster gossip columns. Funny, I was the one talking about it years ago as a possibility when no one thought it could ever be a thing; now I really don't see it happening. It's too big a leap for too many MPs to take
- [Why the polling on a government of national unity should actually give Remainers hope and urgency](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-polling-on-a-government-of-national-unity-should-actually-give-remainers-hope-and-urgency/) - The pro-Brexit portion of the print media has been talking up a YouGov poll this week, done on the topic of what the public thinks about a government of national unity to halt no deal Brexit. It found that 44% oppose the idea of bringing down Boris Johnson's government and temporarily replacing it with a
- [Lessons from Brecon and Radnorshire](https://nicktyrone.com/lessons-from-brecon-and-radnorshire/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/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](https://nicktyrone.com/a-look-at-boris-johnsons-policy-announcements-thus-far-and-what-that-tells-us-about-what-hes-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](https://nicktyrone.com/there-is-a-lot-of-rubbish-being-spouted-about-boris-johnsons-chances-in-a-general-election-let-me-knock-each-fallacy-off-one-by-one/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-an-important-myth-we-need-to-nip-in-the-bud-here-and-now-as-johnsons-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](https://nicktyrone.com/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](https://nicktyrone.com/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?](https://nicktyrone.com/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](https://nicktyrone.com/why-theresa-mays-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](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-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
- [A short summary of Labour's latest Brexit position](https://nicktyrone.com/a-short-summary-of-labours-latest-brexit-position/) - I have, I admit, been cynical regarding Labour's positioning on Brexit in the past. I said before the 2017 general election that they had landed on a policy regarding leaving the EU that would satisfy no one. Lo and behold, they ended up with 40% of the vote. So, who knows, perhaps this latest move
- [The magic Brexit myth goes on and on and on](https://nicktyrone.com/the-magic-brexit-myth-goes-on-and-on-and-on/) - I'll know we've turned a corner at long last in this confusing political era we are unfortunately experiencing when political pundits of all stripes stop buying into the magic Brexit myth. By this I mean the idea that all it will take is one move, whatever that might be, and then Brexit will be "resolved"
- [A vision of what the Liberal Democrats could be](https://nicktyrone.com/a-vision-of-what-the-liberal-democrats-could-be/) - Over the past four years, I have occasionally been scathing towards the Lib Dems. Some have interpreted this as a hostility in regard to the party's lurch to the left post-2015 - this only a small part of it. Mostly, I have felt angered by the fact that in the midst of Brexit and Corbyn,
- [Within the Remain side of politics, there is still too much complacency](https://nicktyrone.com/within-the-remain-side-of-politics-there-is-still-too-much-complacency/) - This isn't an article about who would win a second EU referendum and why (or why not) I believe that to be the case. That in itself is a prime example of Remainer complacency. No, this runs much deeper than that. Remainers have started in what looks like their millions to turn away from Corbyn
- [Why Boris Johnson could end up being prime minister for five minutes](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-johnson-could-end-up-being-prime-minister-for-five-minutes/) - How Johnson's campaign to become the next leader of the Conservative party and thus prime minister is going depends on who you speak to. Plenty of right of centre pundits are now making a living telling you a lot about how even though he seems to be bumbling a lot and setting himself up for
- [If the Lib Dems really want to be "the natural party of business" they are going to have to do a lot better](https://nicktyrone.com/if-the-lib-dems-really-want-to-be-the-natural-party-of-business-they-are-going-to-have-to-do-a-lot-better/) - The meltdown of the two major British parties has foist upon the Liberal Democrats a huge number of opportunities. One of them has been claiming the mantle of the business party away from the Tories as they now seem likely to elect the man known for chucking an expletive in the direction of the business
- [Jeremy Hunt's surprisingly punchy start to the Tory leadership final two and what that might mean](https://nicktyrone.com/jeremy-hunts-surprisingly-p/) - I have been very cynical about Jeremy Hunt's push to be Tory leader. I think he's been mostly absent in the debates, looking like he's marking time, and I figured he would mostly be BoJo's wingman in the final two. It almost seemed partially set up for this, with rumours of Johnson's whips amongst the
- [Could BoJo get away with a soft Brexit?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-bojo-get-away-with-a-soft-brexit/) - In all my wonderings about what Boris Johnson will do when he becomes prime minister, until very recently I hadn't considered the soft Brexit option at all. I sort of ruled it out, leading to a very narrow set of options for Johnson on Brexit. I will admit that this possibility was opened up to
- [Here's the real reason that so many on the Right don't want Rory Stewart in the final two versus Johnson](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-real-reason-that-so-many-on-the-right-dont-want-rory-stewart-in-the-final-two-versus-johnson/) - Despite Boris Johnson's poor record as Foreign Secretary, having voted for May's deal, and a number of things we'll take this opportunity to gloss over here, he is the favourite to be the next Tory leader. Why? Because he's supposedly able to reach parts of the electorate other Tory MPs can't get to. Forget about
- [A review of the Channel 4 Tory leadership debate - and why non-Tories really like Rory Stewart](https://nicktyrone.com/a-review-of-the-channel-4-tory-leadership-debate-and-why-non-tories-really-like-rory-stewart/) - It was a turgid affair, last night's face off between five of the remaining six candidates for Tory leader (Boris being empty lecturned), with a chippy Krishnan Guru-Murray corralling the thing. I would not have watched the whole programme were I not the massive geek that I am; however, I cannot remember a similar programme
- [Why Boris Johnson as prime minister will be the death of Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-johnson-as-prime-minister-will-be-the-death-of-brexit/) - One of the great ironies that will be relished by historians in the semi-distant future is how Rory Stewart, the only candidate in the current Tory leadership who had a realistic plan for delivering Brexit, was derided as a Remainer, while they went on to pick Boris Johnson instead, who was the final nail in
- [The leadership contest demonstrates the Tories have lost the plot - for the time being at least](https://nicktyrone.com/the-leadership-contest-demonstrates-the-tories-have-lost-the-plot-for-the-time-being-at-least/) - The Conservative Party has been morphing into something else since June 2016, something very different to what they have ever previously been. Amongst other things, they used to know how to win elections. How are they doing on that front these days? Lost their majority at the 2017 general election; lost 1,300 councillors at the
- [The political battle ahead points to Remain v Leave for many years to come](https://nicktyrone.com/the-political-battle-ahead-points-to-remain-v-leave-for-many-years-to-come/) - One of the things that makes me smile when I read political commentaries at present is whenever Brexit is framed as being "over with" sometime soon. This is one of the great myths of our current age. It is spread by those who think we can have a second referendum in the next couple of
- [My takeaways from the Peterborough by-election](https://nicktyrone.com/my-takeaways-from-the-peterborough-by-election/) - I want to begin by saying that for those of you gloating about the Brexit Party not winning when they were widely forecast to do so, and that this somehow represents them being vanquished, I'd think again. People tend to think of by-elections as fertile ground for insurgent parties, but they actually reward parties with
- [The lessons from Change UK's failure](https://nicktyrone.com/the-lessons-from-change-uks-failure/) - To get this out of the way: I in no way wish to mock the way things have turned out for Change UK. When they all left their respective parties, I had great hopes that they would become a major force in British politics. I still applaud their courage, if not their political and strategic
- [Where the wishes of Remainers and Leavers meet](https://nicktyrone.com/where-the-wishes-of-remainers-and-leavers-meet/) - When Theresa May's Meaningful Vote was defeated by a record 230 votes in January of this year, one of the more striking images was both Brexiter and Remainer crowds cheering the same result. While it's true to some extent that one of these groups will end up being wrong about that vote being good for
- [Why are both the Tories and Labour doing all the exact wrong things at the moment?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-are-both-the-tories-and-labour-doing-all-the-exact-wrong-things-at-the-moment/) - One of the strangest elements of the current political moment isn't just that both the Conservative and Labour party poll ratings are in free fall at the same time - a YouGov Westminster one today puts the Lib Dems in the lead with 24%, Brexit Party on 22% and both main parties tied for fourth
- [Why I think the Tories should pick Rory Stewart as their next leader](https://nicktyrone.com/taking-a-moment-to-critically-examine-rory-stewart-mania/) - People in the Westminster bubble are either getting excited about Rory Stewart's bid for the leadership of the Conservative party, acting all sniffy about it (thus validating it in many respects), sometimes even suggesting Stewart must have ulterior motives for running; others are doing the classic Westminster thing and acting like they are too cool
- [My immediate take on the EU election results](https://nicktyrone.com/my-immediate-take-on-the-eu-election-results/) - It was a very good night for Remain - but not for the reasons most people are talking about A conversation that will rumble on for at least the next couple of weeks will be around whether Remain or Leave "won" these elections in the UK. On one side, you will hear endlessly about the
- [As May resigns, it is clear to see how much the shadow of Boris has hung over her entire premiership](https://nicktyrone.com/as-may-resigns-it-is-clear-to-see-how-much-the-shadow-of-boris-has-hung-over-her-entire-premiership/) - I found it interesting that Theresa May sounded more assured, warmer and more confident when delivering her resignation speech than she had sounded in years. The professional politician, whatever you thought of that iteration of May and I was never particularly a fan, was back for one last go. The office of prime minister had
- [Labour could come fourth tomorrow - let's examine the aftermath of that result](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-could-come-fourth-tomorrow-lets-examine-the-aftermath-of-that-result/) - YouGov have put out their final poll before the EU elections tomorrow. They have the Brexit Party storming ahead on 37%, the Lib Dems in second on 19%, Labour in third on 13%, the Green on 12% - and the Tories on a lowly 7%. It should be noted again that this is a difficult
- [Why our electoral system is actually so vulnerable to being gamed by bad guys](https://nicktyrone.com/why-our-electoral-system-is-actually-so-vulnerable-to-being-gamed-by-bad-guys/) - I'll start off by saying that I am not hinting at nor openly accusing any campaign or political party of wrongdoing, technically legal or otherwise. I have no idea who has done what and I'm not interested in getting into the whole "yeah, but Vote Leave cheated" debate. I'm only here to tell you what
- [Change UK will inevitably fold into the Liberal Democrats. The vital question is when](https://nicktyrone.com/change-uk-will-inevitably-fold-into-the-liberal-democrats-the-vital-question-is-when/) - Heidi Allen was interviewed on the Today programme this morning. She faced a tough set of questions, mainly because of how bad things have got for Change UK in such a short period of time. Asked about her defecting to the Lib Dems, she said she wouldn't be. But her plan for what to do
- [The Lib Dems overtake Labour in a poll for the first time since 2010 - the zero percent strategy kicks in](https://nicktyrone.com/the-lib-dems-overtake-labour-in-a-poll-for-the-first-time-since-2010-the-zero-percent-strategy-kicks-in/) - To an outside observer, the political strategy being pursued by the Labour leader's office appears to be shockingly idiotic. They are advocating going ahead with what would be a reasonably hard Brexit, but not one that any self-identified hard Brexiteer would be happy with. To boot, it is mostly built around things that are either
- [May's latest move on Brexit makes no sense at all. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised any longer](https://nicktyrone.com/mays-latest-move-on-brexit-makes-no-sense-at-all-i-suppose-i-shouldnt-be-surprised-any-longer/) - After weeks of drift, finally an announcement from the government on Brexit. A new Withdrawal Agreement Bill will be put to the House of Commons to vote on during the week of June 3rd. Let's avoid the whole "but what is so different about this Bill which means the Speaker will allow it" debate since
- [The Labour Party is in so much more trouble than the political media imagine](https://nicktyrone.com/the-labour-party-is-in-so-much-more-trouble-than-the-political-media-imagine/) - YouGov released some polling this morning which painted a political landscape in the midst of massive change. One poll was measuring Westminster voting intention, with both the Tories and Labour on 24%, The Brexit party on 18% and the Lib Dems on 16%, with the Greens on 7% (the rise of Farage's new group seems
- [Why compromise on Brexit is no longer possible](https://nicktyrone.com/why-compromise-on-brexit-is-no-longer-possible/) - A lot of people whom I share much with politically are still calling for a compromise on Brexit; where we leave the EU, yet retain something of the old regime, mostly in the name of keeping the economy from crashing. I respect this in principle. We voted to Leave in 2016 and not carrying out
- [Why the Lib Dems saying Bollocks to Brexit is a good idea for them](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-lib-dems-saying-bollocks-to-brexit-is-a-good-idea-for-them/) - The Lib Dems new slogan, "Bollocks to Brexit", has upset some. Too crass, too crude. What's funny about this is that most of those claiming to be taken aback are precisely the same people who always say the problem with he Lib Dem is that they are too anodyne. This makes me think that the
- [Local elections, 2019, so far at least, party by party - Lib Dem comeback?](https://nicktyrone.com/local-elections-2019-so-far-at-least-party-by-party-lib-dem-comeback/) - More guff is usually said in the wake of local election results than any other type of political event in the United Kingdom. Partially because they are complex and you can generally swing them in all sorts of different ways. This is happening today, despite the results being unusually clear. Let's start with the Tories.
- [Are the Tories and Labour actually close to making a deal on Brexit? Here's why that would be bad for both of them](https://nicktyrone.com/are-the-tories-and-labour-actually-close-to-making-a-deal-on-brexit-heres-why-that-would-be-bad-for-both-of-them/) - Rumours are floating around the bubble that May and Corbyn are on the verge of agreeing a Brexit deal and are only waiting until after the local elections to make this public. While it's best not to put too much faith in this sort of thing, it does make sense of recent events: Number 10
- [What Cameron becoming the Blair of the Conservative party means for the future of the Tories](https://nicktyrone.com/what-cameron-becoming-the-blair-of-the-conservative-party-means-for-the-future-of-the-tories/) - For a very long time, I was sure the Tories would pull through and win the next election. They still very well might - but only because Labour is so breathtakingly, catastrophically poor. Even a mediocre Labour Party would be expecting to pick up 1,500 local seats on Thursday and win the EU elections by
- [Why Change UK is sleepwalking into a disaster](https://nicktyrone.com/why-change-uk-is-sleepwalking-into-a-disaster/) - I more than 99% of people in the UK at the very least desperately wanted The Independence Group to succeed. I have written for a very long time about how I thought the Lib Dems had blown it and how we needed a new centrist force in British politics. When Chuka and co left Labour
- [Why the future of the Liberal Democrats is completely riding on what happens next Thursday](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-future-of-the-liberal-democrats-is-completely-riding-on-what-happens-next-thursday/) - One week from today, large parts of England and all of Northern Ireland will vote in local elections. It used to be that local elections saw the governing party get walloped, while the number of seats gained by the official opposition (and where they were gained) were taken apart by psephologists, both professional and armchair,
- [Why the European elections could go any which way and no result would surprise me](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-european-elections-could-go-any-which-way-and-no-result-would-surprise-me/) - I, as some of you who read me often know, am a staunch defender of the polling industry. Anytime someone pips in with "Yeah, but they got this or that election wrong", I am keen to point out how amazingly close pollsters come to getting the results of most contests correct. As a good for
- [Why I feel almost certain that if Boris Johnson becomes prime minister, the UK will Remain in the EU](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-feel-almost-certain-that-if-boris-johnson-becomes-prime-minister-the-uk-will-remain-in-the-eu/) - No matter how many times BoJo's ambition of becoming PM is pronounced dead and buried by the Westminster lobby, it somehow manages to rear its head again. This time in the form of several polls, one of Tory councillors, the other of Tory voters, both of which put Boris way ahead in terms of first
- [Why I fear for the Remainer cause in the European elections](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-fear-for-the-remainer-cause-in-the-european-elections/) - I am very much looking forward to voting in the European elections, more so than any other election I can remember. I suppose this is because this set of elections was snatched away from me as a result of the 2016 referendum, and now I get to have them back. When it became clear they
- [If you were going to bet on a political long shot happening, this is where I would put my money](https://nicktyrone.com/if-you-were-going-to-bet-on-a-political-long-shot-happening-this-is-where-i-would-put-my-money/) - I will begin this article with a disclaimer: I am not making a solid prediction here, nor am I telling you how you should bet your own money. What I am doing rather is making a point about the unpredictability of British politics at present and how if you were a betting person, you could
- [My take on David Lammy's "not strong enough" comments, for what it's worth](https://nicktyrone.com/my-take-on-david-lammys-not-strong-enough-comments-for-what-its-worth/) - I have been on holiday over the last week and intermittently catching up with British politics because, well, even on holiday I can't quite let it go. This weekend, I happened upon the David Lammy story in which he compared the ERG to the Nazis. When confronted by Marr on his programme, Lammy decided to
- [What the Newport West by-election result tells us about the state of Labour, the Tories, Lib Dem and UKIP](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-newport-west-by-election-result-tells-us-about-the-state-of-labour-the-tories-lib-dem-and-ukip/) - Political types tend to read way too much into by-election results. My all time favourite was a Labour pundit saying in the aftermath of the 2013 Eastleigh by-election that Labour were definitely going to win the 2015 general election because their 0.2% increase in vote share (to 9.8%) compared to 2010 demonstrated the unstoppable momentum
- [May "reaches out" to Corybyn: what that means for Brexit and the possibility of a People's Vote](https://nicktyrone.com/may-reaches-out-to-corybyn-what-that-means-for-brexit-and-the-possibility-of-a-peoples-vote/) - May gave what for her was a reasonably substantial speech yesterday, meaning it wasn't just "red, white and blue Brexit" said in a slightly different way 43 times but rather something that at least had the trappings of substance. She is going to have talks with Jeremy Corbyn to try and see what Labour can
- [After last night's votes come up empty, the following scenarios are no longer science fiction](https://nicktyrone.com/after-last-nights-votes-come-up-empty-the-following-scenarios-are-no-longer-science-fiction/) - David Davis, speaking on the Today programme this morning, said this: “I would make one warning to the cabinet this morning. Don’t be sure every Conservative MP would vote for you if it was made a confidence vote. One or two have said already, I think there are probably twenty who would say [Brexit] is
- [Here's the problem with the softer Brexit argument](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-problem-with-the-softer-brexit-argument/) - This evening, MPs will vote on the second round of indicative votes. The essence is to find some alternative to the Brexit plan as put to the House by Theresa May and rejected by the Commons 2.5 times. The first round of indicative votes came up blank for a very simple reason - the real
- [After every indicative vote fails, this is where I think we are now with Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/after-every-indicative-vote-fails-this-is-where-i-think-we-are-now-with-brexit/) - Last night in the House, something novel took place. MPs were given ballot papers containing eight motions. They were to vote Aye or Nay to each of them; they could vote for or against as many as they wished. The results were then read out in the normal way. None of the motions managed a
- [Here's how what seems to be the ultimate plan of the ERG could go foul](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-how-what-seems-to-be-the-ultimate-plan-of-the-erg-could-go-foul/) - This evening, the House of Commons will vote on 16 different paths either to or out of Brexit (and which one falls into which category very much depends on your definition of what qualifies as Brexit or not). Rumours swirl that May's deal will be brought back to the House tomorrow, as well as another,
- [It's getting hard to see how we leave the EU from where we are now](https://nicktyrone.com/its-getting-hard-to-see-how-we-leave-the-eu-from-where-we-are-now/) - In the summer of 2016, if you'd asked me how likely was the chance that in the end we wouldn't leave the EU, I would have said very, very, very low. Like, asteroid hitting the Earth and wiping out all life in Earth in the next week level of statistically unlikely. The Leavers had won
- [Where Brexit lies at the end of a dark week in British politics](https://nicktyrone.com/where-brexit-lies-at-the-end-of-a-dark-week-in-british-politics/) - It's getting hard to know what to say about all of this. I mean, there is so much going on, technically speaking, that there should just be so much to talk about. Strangely, no. Take Theresa May's speech on Wednesday. It was awful, sure, yet it was no more awful, really, than any other speech
- [Your guide to another mad, mad week ahead in Brexitland](https://nicktyrone.com/your-guide-to-another-mad-mad-week-ahead-in-brexitland/) - Theresa May might bring her Meaningful Vote back to the House of Commons for a third time on Tuesday. She will only do so if she thinks it's going to pass - one barometer of this will be what the DUP intends to do. To that end, May met with them this weekend to discuss
- [Why Brexit has started to feel like the guy who sells everything he owns to become a hip hop sensation](https://nicktyrone.com/why-brexit-has-started-to-feel-like-the-guy-who-sells-everything-he-owns-to-become-a-hip-hop-sensation/) - The problem with Brexit is that it is undoable, say many Remainers. They are actually softening the blow when they say this; the truth is, Britain is unable to do Brexit because it simply isn't up to it. I know, I know, this is the thing no one is supposed to mention. But look at
- [Will the EU's last second "concession" be enough for May to get her deal through parliament?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-the-eus-last-second-concession-be-enough-for-may-to-get-her-deal-through-parliament/) - Last night, Theresa May flew to Strasbourg to have a meeting with Juncker, this being the 11th hour so many Brexiters have predicted would be the moment of total EU capitulation. Both May and Juncker emerged triumphant at a press conference late last night, the British prime minister declaring that she's got the deal now
- [Here's what Theresa May should do now](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-what-theresa-may-should-do-now/) - I've explained what I believe the prime minister should do at several points during her premiership. Although I have been wrong on many things since I started this blog (most notably being sure the Tories would get a massive majority after the 2017 general election was called), I can't look back and say any advice
- [I don't see how we aren't headed for a lengthy delay to Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/i-dont-see-how-we-arent-headed-for-a-lengthy-delay-to-brexit-now/) - Several things obvious to eventually take place, at least to those paying close attention to the Brexit process, have been confirmed this week already. Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, has tacitly admitted that the EU isn't going to reopen negotiations and change the backstop in any meaningful way. This means the ERG won't vote for
- [Everything Corbyn is doing now will only delay the eventual Labour split](https://nicktyrone.com/everything-corbyn-is-doing-now-will-only-delay-the-eventual-labour-split/) - Last night, the Hackney North CLP passed an amendment 45 to 35 that essentially ratified the point that got Chris Williamson suspended from the party, just with more detail and words like "fact" put in quotations. That was at the end of a day which saw Lisa Nandy and Wes Stressing arguing on live television
- [Both May and Corbyn have backed themselves into a corner on Brexit - and this is what that might mean for what happens next](https://nicktyrone.com/both-may-and-corbyn-have-backed-themselves-into-a-corner-on-brexit-and-this-is-what-that-might-mean-for-what-happens-next/) - Theresa May is in real trouble on Brexit, but that's no surprise. What is, a little bit anyhow, is the fight shown by Conservative MPs to stop no deal Brexit from happening. It wasn't something I was counting on, particularly when you figure out that Tory voters aren't going to thank them for it (even
- [Werner Herzog and my Chicago Connection](https://nicktyrone.com/werner-herzog-chicago-connection/) - One day, almost exactly ten years ago, a friend of mine whom I will refer to only as the Chicago Connection and I were hanging out near the Franco-Spanish border. We had come to a town called Puigicerda on the recommendation of a random bloke we’d met in a Barcelona bar (how all of the
- [My take on the #CatPerson phenomenon](https://nicktyrone.com/take-catperson-phenomenon/) - A few days ago, the New Yorker published a short story called "Cat Person", written by Kristen Roupenian. It tells the tale of a twenty-year-old woman named Margo and her brief affair with a man named Robert, whom she initially thinks is in his mid-twenties but actually turns out to be 34. He is also
- [How did Morrissey, the Godfather of snowflakes, become a right-wing hero?](https://nicktyrone.com/morrissey-godfather-snowflakes-become-right-wing-hero/) - "Morrissey’s Brexit love affair makes him the last true rock’n’roll rebel" is a headline from a recent Brendan O'Neill piece; "Morrissey is probably the only remaining music 'celebrity' in the world who tells the truth about politics." tweets Paul Joseph Watson of Infowars. If you worship the very idea of Brexit, hate political correctness in
- [On Shamima Begum and British citizenship](https://nicktyrone.com/on-shamima-begum-and-british-citizenship/) - Despite the headline, I actually don't want to talk about Shamima Begum in the specific very much in this article. I don't want to get lost in discussing what it is she did that led the Home Office to strip her of her British citizenship; I want instead to focus on why I think that
- [Why both the Tories and Labour (and really, the Lib Dems) are taking the threat of the Independent Group way too lightly](https://nicktyrone.com/why-both-the-tories-and-labour-and-really-the-lib-dems-are-taking-the-threat-of-the-independent-group-way-too-lightly/) - Needless to say, The Independent Group could possibly flop from here. There could be no more resignations from the two big parties, for starters, which would leave it dead in the water, the 11 souls stranded on their own political island. The group could really screw up - we've had the unfortunate "funny tinge" moment,
- [Where does the Independent Group go next?](https://nicktyrone.com/where-does-the-independent-group-go-next/) - The reaction to yesterday's press conference in which seven Labour MPs announced that they have left the party and will sit as an independent bloc (for now) has been extraordinary. It seems that a lot of people who have found themselves politically homeless over the last few years discovered in the Magnificent Seven a new
- [How today's Labour splinter group could be directly aided by what Corbyn does next](https://nicktyrone.com/how-todays-labour-splinter-group-could-be-directly-aided-by-what-corbyn-does-next/) - So, it's finally, finally happened: the Labour Party has split. Now that it's gone down, it feels inevitable - yet it really took its time in finally taking place. Anyhow, now starts the questions: will the Independent Group succeed? Will other Labour MPs follow them soon enough? Will Tory MPs quit their whip and join
- [Following the latest government defeat, here's what the latest Number 10 press statement really means](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-latest-number-10-press-statement-really-means/) - Right, so for those of you still desperately trying to keep up with what's going with Brexit in the House of Commons, the government lost another vote last night. This has become so commonplace as to not qualify as news on its own anymore (remember when a government defeat was really newsworthy? I look back
- [Nothing Theresa May is doing now makes any sense, even on its own terms](https://nicktyrone.com/nothing-theresa-may-is-doing-now-makes-any-sense-even-on-its-own-terms/) - For a long time, as many of you know, I was certain that May wouldn't allow no deal Brexit to happen. Now, I don't know. Perhaps parliament will figure out a way to stop it, if that's what it comes to, but even that I have no strong confidence in. I'm not saying no deal
- [What a no deal Brexit would do to both major parties](https://nicktyrone.com/what-a-no-deal-brexit-would-do-to-both-major-parties/) - There are some good articles floating around out there in the bubble about May's thinking on no deal - the press in Westminster are starting to focus at long last on the fact that the country could be irreparably changing in a few weeks' time. The logic goes that May always saw no deal as
- [Why any Brexit scenario from here is bad for Corbyn](https://nicktyrone.com/why-any-brexit-scenario-from-here-is-bad-for-corbyn/) - The big news this week: Jeremy Corbyn is ready to do a deal with Theresa May. Well, sort of - one of the red lines in his proposal is that we join a customs union but still have a say on trade deals, which is not something that May is going to get the EU
- [This is the biggest mistake the People's Vote campaign has made](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-the-biggest-mistake-the-peoples-vote-campaign-has-made/) - I, like many Remainers, are a little weary about the idea of a second referendum and do not possess the confidence some younger pro-EU campaigners have about victory the next time out. Still, they have been pretty much the only game in town if you hold out any hope that Brexit can somehow be thwarted,
- [What is real news and what isn't in the age of Brexit and Trump](https://nicktyrone.com/what-is-real-news-and-what-isnt-in-the-age-of-brexit-and-trump/) - For as long as I have been running this blog - and in fact, it was almost exactly five years ago that I started doing so - I have watched as mainstream media has become shriller and more polemic, trying to match the blogosphere in this respect in a chase for readership. I have seen
- [Never has so much bollocks been spoken about one evening in parliament as we're seeing today](https://nicktyrone.com/never-has-so-much-bollocks-been-spoken-about-one-evening-in-parliament-as-were-seeing-today/) - To recap, last night two amendments were voted on in the House of Commons: the Brady and Cooper amendments. Brady's was absurd in a sickly, feverish way. The essence of it is to destroy May's deal and force the Prime Minster to reopen discussions with the European Union so that the backstop can be changed.
- [The "freedom clause" is just the latest painful sign of the Brexit bubble having taken over](https://nicktyrone.com/the-freedom-clause-is-just-the-latest-painful-sign-of-the-brexit-bubble-having-taken-over/) - Theresa May puts forth an agreement that allows Britain to leave the European Union on March 29th. Given it has a transition period attached, there will be no disruption to trade. However, there is a "backstop" clause in the agreement, one that says that if the UK and the EU do not come to a
- [Why does the commentariat cling to this idea of a united Labour Party?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-does-the-commentariat-cling-to-this-idea-of-a-united-labour-party/) - Several myths have become dominant in Westminster since the last general election - I will only speak of two here and only one of them in-depth. The first is that Labour are certain to win the next general election. The other, which has taken longer to solidify and is even more ridiculous, is that the
- [I've worked out what trading on WTO terms almost certainly means: having to join the EU again at some point](https://nicktyrone.com/ive-worked-out-what-trading-on-wto-terms-almost-certainly-means-having-to-join-the-eu-again-at-some-point/) - James Delingpole, noted Leaver, was on Andrew Neil's show last night. Neil decided to lay into him a little on the whole idea of the UK trading on WTO rules only (slight aside here: I really hate when people lay into Neil as being impartial given he is pro-Brexit when in fact, he's been one
- [Why a no deal Brexit is more likely to cause civil unrest than any other result](https://nicktyrone.com/why-a-no-deal-brexit-is-more-likely-to-cause-civil-unrest-than-any-other-result/) - The debate around no deal Brexit has heated up to a place I never imagined it would. I always knew pretty much what Theresa May was going to do, and I have been mostly right on that front; what I failed to see was that the hardcore Leavers on the Tory backbenches would vote down
- [Onward: why and how Brexit is the elephant in the room for liberal Tories](https://nicktyrone.com/onwards-why-and-how-brexit-is-the-tories-elephant-in-the-room/) - A new think tank called Onward will launch itself this evening. It's pitched itself as a Tory think tank, but I warmly welcome it. I get the sense that they want to push the Conservative Party back towards a more classically liberal direction of travel, away from the "citizens of nowhere" shtick that has marred
- [What happens if the Queen has to adjudicate Brexit?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-happens-if-the-queen-has-to-adjudicate-brexit/) - Former senior legal counsel to the government Stephen Laws QC was on the Today programme this morning. He had a very interesting take on what's happening in parliament at the moment. He presented the notion that the Queen might be required to decide whether certain Bills that had passed the Commons should get Royal Assent
- [Why Corbyn is now and has always been a Brexiteer - and why that means pro-Europeans on the Left now need to decide](https://nicktyrone.com/why-corbyn-is-now-and-has-always-been-a-brexiteer-and-why-that-means-pro-europeans-on-the-left-now-need-to-decide/) - One question that will almost certainly be asked by political historians when they reflect back on the current age is why passionately pro-European leftists fell in behind a socialist Brexiteer like Jeremy Corbyn. For a few years now, being anti-Brexit has been one of the signature beliefs of the Left in Britain – all while
- [Why after last night's historic loss by the government, it is Jeremy Corbyn who is in real trouble](https://nicktyrone.com/why-after-last-nights-historic-loss-by-the-government-it-is-jeremy-corbyn-who-is-in-real-trouble/) - It is a sign of the very strange times we live in that the government could lose a vote by a whopping 230 votes and still no one was surprised when the prime minister did not resign. Or that the no confidence vote to be held in its wake is expected to be won by
- [Here's what no one knows about another EU referendum, even though everyone feels the need to bluff it](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-what-no-one-knows-about-another-eu-referendum-even-though-everyone-feels-the-need-to-bluff-it/) - There are several accepted "truths" about what would happen if there was another referendum on Britain's EU membership, pumped out by even the most Remainery of journalists and pundits. One, it would be more divisive and bitter than the first. Two, that it would lead to a rising of the far right the likes of
- [In trying to talk both Brexiteers and Remainers into voting for May's deal, the government has convinced them both to vote against it](https://nicktyrone.com/in-trying-to-talk-both-brexiteers-and-remainers-into-voting-for-mays-deal-the-government-convinced-them-both-to-vote-against-it/) - This morning's Guardian page had two headlines directly parallel to each other. One had Jeremy Hunt saying that voting against May's deal made no deal Brexit more likely; the other said that Hunt claimed the recent votes in the Commons made no Brexit at all happening much more likely. As you may have noticed, a
- [Brexit: The Uncivil War, reviewed](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-the-uncivil-war-reviewed/) - Last night at 9 PM, as almost all of you will know, Channel 4 broadcast a drama based on the events leading up to the EU referendum in June 2016, written by James Graham and starring Benedict Cumberbatch. I'm going to break this review up into two separate pieces: one, reviewing "The Uncivil War" as
- [We are on the verge of a whole new political era, no matter what happens. So why doesn't it feel like it?](https://nicktyrone.com/we-are-on-the-verge-of-a-whole-new-political-era-no-matter-what-happens-so-why-doesnt-it-feel-like-it/) - This is a very, very strange time for British politics. The Article 50 period runs out in a mere 81 days. Having thought it through, I don't see how we're not on the verge of a new political era, very different even to the one we've inherited since June 24th of 2016. Yet it doesn't
- [Breaking down the "we get to keep the £39 billion in the event on no deal" myth](https://nicktyrone.com/breaking-down-the-we-get-to-keep-the-39-billion-in-the-event-on-no-deal-myth/) - I want to direct today's article mostly to Leavers. For the breadth of this piece, I will not suggest that leaving the EU is a good or bad idea, nor even that leaving with no deal is a good or bad idea. Let's park those arguments for now. What I want to talk about here
- [How Corbyn is in real danger of splitting the Left - and by that I mean the Left Left not the centre-left](https://nicktyrone.com/how-corbyn-is-in-real-danger-of-splitting-the-left-and-by-that-i-mean-the-left-left-not-the-centre-left/) - Happy 2019 to you all. As we enter the new year, I reflect on the past month and feel like a certain bridge may have been crossed by Team Corbyn that will be tricky to cross back the other way. An interview in the Guardian had Corbyn saying that in the event of a general
- [Underrated albums and their effect on politics and society, part 5 of 5: "One Foot in the Grave" by Beck](https://nicktyrone.com/underrated-albums-and-their-effect-on-politics-and-society-part-5-of-5-one-foot-in-the-grave-by-beck/) - Beck came to fame in 1994 when the video for his song "Loser" went into heavy MTV rotation in America. It is a sort of novelty tune, a kind of slacker white guy hop hop thing that seemed to accidentally capture the spirit of the times with its chorus of "I'm a loser baby, so
- [Underrated albums and their effect on politics and society, part 1 of 5: "The Alice Cooper Show"](https://nicktyrone.com/underrated-albums-and-their-effect-on-politics-and-society-part-1-of-5-the-alice-cooper-show/) - Happy Christmas, regular readers. Some of you complain when I talk about anything other than Westminster politics; however, the Commons is in a long recess, and furthermore, Brexit has become so f-ing boring as to be something beyond explicating upon, so here goes something else. Over the Christmas season I will be commenting on albums
- [Underrated albums and their effect on politics and society, part 4 of 5: "The Power of Lard" by Lard](https://nicktyrone.com/underrated-albums-and-their-effect-on-politics-and-society-part-4-of-5-the-power-of-lard-by-lard/) - The first thing to say is that this was described upon release as an EP, which should technically disqualify it from this list. However, the record clocks in at almost 44 minutes, which however you arrange the nomenclature, is a long player by any accepted yardstick. So, it qualifies as far as I'm concerned. That's
- [Underrated albums and their effect on politics and society, part 3 of 5: "Room to Live" by The Fall](https://nicktyrone.com/underrated-albums-and-their-effect-on-politics-and-society-part-3-of-5-room-to-live-by-the-fall/) - At the end of Part 2, I described The Fall as "kind of obscure", which I can already foresee will annoy several of you. Well, you may have a social circle who know all about Mark E Smith and his miraculous career, but I can guarantee you that the band is not a household name,
- [Underrated albums and their effect on politics and society, part 2 of 5: "Lanquidity" by Sun Ra](https://nicktyrone.com/underrated-albums-and-their-effect-on-politics-and-society-part-2-of-5-lanquidity-by-sun-ra/) - Being a bold creative genius who flouts the rules of society to create art that has little to no commercial value for five decades on the trot takes a lot of balls. Even more so if you were a black man in the southern US in the early part of the 20th century. Sun Ra
- [The final Brexit battle: between no deal and no Brexit, which will win?](https://nicktyrone.com/the-final-brexit-battle-between-no-deal-and-no-brexit-which-will-win/) - The talk this week is of whether "managed no deal" is a real thing (it isn't, but many are clinging to the idea for political reasons) and wanting the holiday season to come, the latter at least partly because "managed no deal" discussions have worn on everyone's sanity. I figured May would have come out
- [What happens now with the vote Labour has called (or not called) which may (or may not) be a "no confidence vote"?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-have-labour-called-or-not-called-with-this-no-confidence-vote/) - Okay, a note at the start to bear with me here. This past month has been the nadir of British parliamentary politics for the last century at the very, very least, and most of what has happened is baffling in the extreme. So, here goes, best I can, I'll explain where we are. Theresa May
- [May wins the no confidence vote - what happens now? The choices for the country narrow](https://nicktyrone.com/may-wins-the-no-confidence-vote-what-happens-now-the-choices-for-the-country-narrow/) - As predicted by most, May won the no confidence vote last night comfortably, 200-117. Rees-Mogg was in there almost instantly trying to paint it as a loss for the prime minister, but it wasn't. There is some talk about her authority being weakened: it was dealt a massive blow with the 2017 general election result
- [What would really happen if Brexit didn't happen? Let's try and focus on what we know](https://nicktyrone.com/what-would-really-happen-if-brexit-didnt-happen-lets-try-and-focus-on-what-we-know/) - One of the great political truisms of our age is that if Brexit were to not happen there would be "trouble". I myself have engaged in this thinking, on this very website on occasion - it's actually a hard assumption not to naturally fall into, if you're in the Westminster bubble in any way, shape
- [After last night's historic votes, this is why Brexit now mostly comes down to what Corbyn does](https://nicktyrone.com/after-last-nights-historic-votes-this-is-why-brexit-now-mostly-comes-down-to-what-corbyn-does/) - It was quite the evening in the House of Commons last night. Theresa May was stepping up to debate her Brexit deal with the House - meaning, she had to stand in the middle and hear from all sides how bad most MPs think it is, something she's signed up to do for four more
- [The surrealism of the current Brexit situation - The Attorney General addresses the House](https://nicktyrone.com/the-surrealism-of-the-current-brexit-situation-the-attorney-general-addresses-the-house/) - Yesterday evening saw Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General who has become the darling of many a Tory since Conservative party conference due to his ability to give a speech that did not irrevocably suck, at the dispatch box. The reason was that the House of Commons had voted to force the government to make the
- [Don't be too concerned about what Theresa May is ruling out at the moment. There are many possibilities after the deal gets voted down](https://nicktyrone.com/dont-be-too-concerned-about-what-theresa-may-is-ruling-out-at-the-moment-there-are-many-possibilities-after-the-deal-gets-voted-down/) - Let's tally this up: Theresa May has ruled out several things in the event the vote on her deal does not pass through parliament. She has very recently ruled out trying to go for an EEA arrangement, citing free movement (let's face it, the ending of which was the only part of Brexit she ever
- [The "none of the above" electorate and what I think it has to do with both Brexit and the 2017 general election result](https://nicktyrone.com/the-none-of-the-above-electorate-and-what-i-think-it-has-to-do-with-both-brexit-and-the-2017-general-election-result/) - During the 2015 general election campaign, I did some phone canvassing for the Lib Dems. It was the simpler end of this sort of thing, at least for me: I was calling local organisers to see what, if anything, they required from HQ. So, no need to pitch the party, just find out some practicalities.
- [Trying to imagine the horror of the May/Corbyn Brexit TV debate](https://nicktyrone.com/trying-to-imagine-the-horror-of-the-may-corbyn-brexit-tv-debate/) - This really does look to be coming our way. Theresa May has said she would like to debate Jeremy Corbyn on the television, on the merits or lack thereof of her deal with the EU. I've been trying to imagine what such a debate would look like - I can confirm that such a thing
- [How a no confidence vote against the government might actually pan out (including one wacky scenario)](https://nicktyrone.com/how-a-no-confidence-vote-against-the-government-might-actually-pan-out-including-one-wacky-scenario/) - With May's Brexit arrangement facing an uncertain future in the Commons, some of the palace intrigue shifts to the idea of a vote of no confidence in the government should HMG fail to gain a majority for May's plan in the House. But what would actually happen if this were to occur - and more
- [How Brexit is becoming a battle for the soul of the Conservative Party](https://nicktyrone.com/how-brexit-is-becoming-a-battle-for-the-soul-of-the-conservative-party/) - It's become cliche that every Tory prime minister since Major at least has been brought down by Europe. Also, that it appears to be happening yet again. I think Brexit exposes something deeper than this in terms of the problems faced by the Conservative party, going all the way back to Thatcher's departure in 1990,
- [For the first time since June 2016, I feel like Brexit not happening is more likely than it happening. Here's why](https://nicktyrone.com/for-the-first-time-since-june-2016-i-feel-like-brexit-not-happening-is-more-likely-than-it-happening-heres-why/) - Some housekeeping first: looks like the 48 letter challenge to May's premiership has stalled, rather embarrassingly for the main cheerleaders involved. Meanwhile, Spain is threatening to bring down the whole deal from the EU side over provisions covering Gibraltar - remember, the deal still has to be ratified by the EU27. There are still a
- [My view on Shami Chakrabarti on Marr, for what it's worth](https://nicktyrone.com/my-view-on-shami-chakrabarti-on-marr-for-what-its-worth/) - Social media has been filled with opinions on how Shami Chakrabarti's interview on the Andrew Marr show went this past weekend. A large chunk of left-wing opinion seems to feel that Marr was bullying towards her in a way that may possibly have been sexist or even mysogynistic. Having watched the interview a few times
- [My takeaways from yesterday's, uh, events](https://nicktyrone.com/my-takeaways-from-yesterdays-uh-events/) - It really hit the fan yesterday, huh? We all sort of knew it was coming, yet that didn't stop it being somehow spectacular when it finally unfolded. There has been a massive amount of comment on what happened yesterday with the various resignations and so forth; here, I'm only going to try and cover the
- [Could Keir Starmer's big moment be close at hand?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-keir-starmers-big-moment-be-close-at-hand/) - At long last, the "deal" has landed, bringing with it opprobrium from both Leavers and Remainers. Speculation today has mostly been centred on which cabinet members will resign shortly (so far, none have) and whether May has any hope of getting this "deal" through parliament. Thinking ahead, however, a much more interesting question emerges, this
- [Brexit: what is next for the Left? More complicated even than it sounds](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-what-is-next-for-the-left-more-complicated-even-than-it-sounds/) - I chaired an event last night in a House of Commons committee room entitled "Brexit: what's next for the Left?" with panelists Femi Oluwole and Cathleen Clarke from OFOC, Khalid Mahmood MP, shadow minister for Europe (which I have to admit, I was unaware of pre-event. Wait, why does Labour even have a shadow minister
- [An article in which I attempt, as best as possible, to summarise the current state of play](https://nicktyrone.com/an-article-in-which-i-attempt-as-best-as-possible-to-summarise-the-current-state-of-play/) - All week I have had at the back of my mind the idea of writing something about where we are - on Brexit, on everything in UK politics at the moment - without really knowing what to say. Everything comes down to "the deal" - which is not, amazingly enough, going to be a deal
- [Looking at the Arron Banks on Marr interview in relation to election spending rules](https://nicktyrone.com/looking-at-the-arron-banks-on-marr-interview-in-relation-to-election-spending-rules/) - Many people are upset about Arron Banks being given a slot on the BBC's prime weekend politics programme yesterday morning to try and plead his innocence over the airwaves; I will not get into that matter within in the content of this article. Nor can I make any comment on anything Arron Banks has done
- [Here are my main takeaways from yesterday's budget](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-my-main-takeaways-from-yesterdays-budget/) - Although these things are somewhat subjective, yesterday's budget could probably be considered a hit in pure political terms. Yes, some pundits, particularly on the left, have critiqued elements of it, such as the tax giveaways to the middle-classes. Yet there is no sense of danger here, of something on the level of the 2012 "omnishambles"
- [Interpreting John McDonnell's latest interview on Brexit - yes, I do go beyond "It's laughably crap", don't worry](https://nicktyrone.com/interpreting-john-mcdonnells-latest-interview-on-brexit-yes-i-do-go-beyond-its-laughably-crap-dont-worry/) - So, what is there to say about Brexit anymore? We're all just waiting for the May-EU drama to play out, for the prime minister to present the deal to parliament - and then the actual unknowable, namely will such a thing get a majority in the Commons or not. As has been obvious for a
- [A brief history of how we got to where we are, Brexit, Corbyn, everything. In less than a thousand words](https://nicktyrone.com/a-brief-history-of-how-we-got-to-where-we-are-brexit-corbyn-everything-in-less-than-a-thousand-words/) - Perhaps the biggest theme of this era across the West is that politics has become completely polarised; that Left and Right have gone to further extremes, with the Centre being ignored by the electorate. I'm going to try and explain here, in the simplest terms I can, why this happened. Again, I will be simplifying
- [Imagining the May 2019 Euro elections - in the UK](https://nicktyrone.com/imagining-the-may-2019-euro-elections-in-the-uk/) - So, that whole UK-EU negotiation thing is almost all wrapped up, right? I haven't bothered to look at the news over the last week or so, but I don't need to in order to know that May got the cabinet and the DUP to accept the backstop and now everything's pretty much on plan for
- [Another look at a post-Brexit trade deal with the US. The question is not whether it would be good or bad, but actually in any way achievable](https://nicktyrone.com/another-look-at-a-post-brexit-trade-deal-with-the-us-the-question-is-not-whether-it-would-be-good-or-bad-but-actually-in-any-way-achievable/) - An article in the Telegraph this morning declares, "US ready to negotiate free trade deal with UK 'as soon as' Britain quits the EU, says Trump envoy". This, of course, has nothing to do with the timing of May having to come to terms with the EU on the Irish backstop question this very day.
- [We're down to four possible Brexit scenarios - here they are](https://nicktyrone.com/were-down-to-four-possible-brexit-scenarios-here-they-are/) - Dominic Raab heads to Brussels for a chat with Barnier - but nothing is agreed regarding the backstop. A feeling of drama grips the bubble, while calm continues in the rest of the UK, and indeed, in Brussels itself. Where does "hell week" leave us then? There are only really four ways I think Brexit
- [How Theresa May's Brexit negotiation is reaching its inevitable conclusion](https://nicktyrone.com/how-theresa-mays-brexit-negotiation-is-reaching-its-inevitable-conclusion/) - There is said to be cabinet "unease" around the latest May proposal for dealing with the backstop issue the UK seemingly unwittingly signed up to in December 2017. Namely, that until a super-whizz bang trade deal between the UK and the EU can be agreed and implemented, the UK essentially stays in the Customs Union.
- [Here's a connection between free market fundamentalism and Brexit I'd never realised before](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-a-connection-between-free-market-fundamentalism-and-brexit-id-never-realised-before/) - I was having a chat with a prominent Brexiteer this week, as you do. I said to him that while I had to concede there was a Brexit that could provide for an economic boost in the abstract, in hard reality it was going to be tough precisely because business thinks that it will be
- [While it's easy to enjoy the schadenfreude involved in the Chris Williamson deselection story, there's something serious underneath](https://nicktyrone.com/while-its-easy-to-enjoy-the-schadenfreude-involved-in-the-chris-williamson-deselection-story-theres-something-serious-underneath/) - Chris Williamson, Labour MP for Derby North and amongst Corbyn's biggest supporters, is one of the major cheerleaders for the mandatory re-selection of all sitting Labour MPs as well as deselection of MPs critical of the leadership. He is now apparently under threat of being deselected by his own CLP. This is most likely a
- [This feels like 2012 in some ways - only Labour are in a much worse place now](https://nicktyrone.com/this-feels-like-2012-in-some-ways-only-labour-are-in-a-much-worse-place-now/) - All of the analysis of conference season seems to come down to two main points. One: that Labour conference was buzzing while Tory conference was stale. Two: that Theresa May managed to clear the low bar set for her and is thus safe until the end of March next year. The first one is at
- [Last thoughts from Tory conference: Boris isn't as popular with the grassroots as the media might have you think](https://nicktyrone.com/last-thoughts-from-tory-conference-boris-isnt-as-popular-with-the-grassroots-as-the-media-might-have-you-think/) - The big occasion yesterday at Conservative party conference, and let's face it, the whole conference itself, was the Boris speech. The queues for it really were impressively epic, notable even further at a conference in which the hall had mostly been half-full at best for other speeches. This has led to a media narrative that
- [Blogging to you live from Conservative party conference: more Remainery than you'd expect?](https://nicktyrone.com/blogging-to-you-live-from-conservative-party-conference-more-remainery-than-youd-expect/) - Got the train up to Birmingham yesterday morning. The journey reopened for me one of the great questions of our age: why can you get to Liverpool in two hours by train, yet it takes a little more than that to get to Birmingham which is half the distance? The first thing I went to
- [Summarising the latest Boris Johnson Telegraph article. You know, the really long one with "plan" in the title](https://nicktyrone.com/summarising-the-latest-boris-johnson-telegraph-article-you-know-the-really-long-one-with-plan-in-the-title/) - It seems sad that BoJo's Telegraph column is one of the few things I can bear to comment on today. Perhaps the fact that the Left now want people to boycott the Guardian because it isn't left-wing enough is just too much for me to talk about right now, I don't know. I suppose Boris
- [The young don't like socialism because they are "taught to" - and that isn't the real problem anyway](https://nicktyrone.com/the-young-dont-like-socialism-because-they-are-taught-to-and-that-isnt-the-real-problem-anyway/) - Toby Young has written an article in the Spectator about how young people get into socialism because the education system at all levels is run by socialists. This is a common trope on the right: that the system is run by people who are socialists, therefore they teach our kids to be little Marxists. On
- [Keir Starmer and his "Remain" comment: what could this mean for Labour and for Brexit?](https://nicktyrone.com/keir-starmer-and-his-remain-comment-what-could-this-mean-for-labour-and-for-brexit/) - The line was ad-libbed, apparently. "...and nobody is ruling out Remain as an option." As anti-Brexit statements go, in the abstract at least, it is comically tame. Yet given the fact that we've had a couple of years of Corbyn saying things along the lines of "I hate the capitalist EU and can't wait to
- [Labour conference Sunday: is this a glimpse into a dystopian future?](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-conference-sunday-is-this-a-glimpse-into-a-dystopian-future/) - Got through the security gates and into Labour conference around 10:30 AM yesterday morning. Went looking for the room my 12:30 event was being held in. Wasn't immediately apparent, so I asked one of the ushers, "Excuse me, could you direct me to Concourse Room 4?" He shook his head and said "There is no
- [First impressions of Labour conference 2018 - "Love Corbyn, Hate Brexit"](https://nicktyrone.com/first-impressions-of-labour-conference-2018-love-corbyn-hate-brexit/) - I took the train up from London to Liverpool yesterday afternoon. I felt gloomy about it, which is strange, because I usually look forward to Labour conference each year. A whole big mess that I have no real emotional stake in - plus I get to see a lot of Labour people I like that
- [While Labour's call for a general election makes political sense, they haven't bothered to have it make any logical sense whatsoever](https://nicktyrone.com/while-labours-call-for-a-general-election-makes-political-sense-they-havent-bothered-to-have-it-make-any-logical-sense-whatsoever/) - A repeated theme from the Labour frontbench for many months now has been that a second referendum on Brexit would be a terrible idea, and that if May crashes and burns on the rocks of the negotiations, we should have a general election instead. The problem is, they really haven't thought this one through. Like,
- [Could Boris come out for Remain at the last moment?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-boris-come-out-for-remain-at-the-last-moment/) - I will start by saying that I base none of what is to immediately follow on rumours I've heard swirling around Westminster, nor some sort of insider's knowledge regarding what Boris may or may not be planning. I really have no idea what BoJo is thinking or even rumoured heavily to be thinking. I can
- [At Lib Dem conference, Lib Dems vote against......free trade, particularly with developing nations](https://nicktyrone.com/at-lib-dem-conference-lib-dems-vote-against-free-trade-particularly-with-developing-nations/) - For the second year in a row, I am not attending Lib Dem conference. I went for ten years straight, but now, I both emotionally can't face it and also, given the decline in the party's fortune, I have no real professional reason to go (I'll be at both Labour and Tory, if any of
- [Why "chuck Chequers, keep May" is logically absurd](https://nicktyrone.com/why-chuck-chequers-keep-may-is-logically-absurd/) - Boris, as ever, is leading the charge for the Tory Brexiteers. In doing so, he has explicitly laid out the strategy of trying to destroy the Chequers "agreement" while simultaneously keeping May in Number 10. As he writes in the Daily Telegraph on the matter: “It’s not about the leadership. It’s about the policy. It’s not
- [Why I really doubt there will be a Tory leadership contest before March 2019](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-really-doubt-there-will-be-a-tory-leadership-contest-before-march-2019/) - Parts of Westminster are aflutter with the notion that we could have a new prime minister soon. I don't see it. I realise the ERG group and their affiliates are annoyed with May and feel betrayed by her; but the window to get rid of her has very long since passed. Further, their feelings of
- [Why Vince Cable's proposed reforms of the Lib Dems are a good thing](https://nicktyrone.com/why-vince-cables-proposed-reforms-of-the-lib-dems-are-a-good-thing/) - After much speculation, Lib Dem leader Vince Cable has finally come out and said he wants to step down from the leadership as soon as logically possible. The timing on this he left vague - understandably - and seems to centre around both next May's locals and Brexit being complete and/or halted. In addition, he
- [Here's how a second referendum happens](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-how-a-second-referendum-happens/) - For a very long time, I considered a second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU to be a complete impossibility. Neither major party has ever endorsed the idea, which is pretty fatal as these things go. However, I think it is starting to look ever more likely to happen due to a strange, in
- [People aren't necessarily rejecting centrism when they reject the Lib Dems. They might just be rejecting the Lib Dems](https://nicktyrone.com/people-arent-necessarily-rejecting-centrism-when-they-reject-the-lib-dems-they-might-just-be-rejecting-the-lib-dems/) - This morning, I saw in my Twitter feed a tweet from George Eaton, the political editor of the New Statesmen, which read: "The Lib Dems are on 6%. It's almost like centrism isn't what voters want." It reminded me of one of my pet peeves of this current political era: people extrapolating from the low
- [Why does everyone try and make both May and Corbyn out to be what they are clearly not?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-does-everyone-try-and-make-both-may-and-corbyn-out-to-be-what-they-are-clearly-not/) - A new poll on Brexit is out today, commissioned as ever by the Remainers. This one tells us, like many polls on Brexit are telling us at the moment, that Labour Leavers are switching to Remain in significant numbers. Given some Tories are all over the media talking up the idea that Brexit equals some
- [A look at the Boris Daily Telegraph article that provoked a harsh response from Number 10 (at last)](https://nicktyrone.com/a-look-at-the-boris-daily-telegraph-article-that-provoked-a-harsh-response-from-number-10-at-last/) - "Look, Boris Johnson resigned over Chequers. There are no new ideas in this article to respond to. What we need at this time is serious leadership with a serious plan and that’s exactly what the country has with this prime minister and this Brexit plan." That is an official comment from Number 10 in relation
- [Why the Graham Stringer deselection process is both so key to Labour's future - and confusing at the same time](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-graham-stringer-deselection-process-is-both-so-key-to-labours-future-and-confusing-at-the-same-time/) - Graham Stringer, a career Labour backbencher who represents Blackley and Broughton in Greater Manchester, now faces a deselection process in his constituency. Enough members in his CLP are annoyed with Stringer for having sided with the government in a series of votes on Brexit. He joins fellow Eurosceptic Labour MPs Kate Hoey and Frank Field
- [Would a centrist, anti-Brexit Labour Party really be way ahead in the polls right now?](https://nicktyrone.com/would-a-centrist-anti-brexit-labour-party-really-be-way-ahead-in-the-polls-right-now/) - The idea that a more centrist, and more crucially an openly anti-Brexit Labour Party would be way, way up in the polls (10 points? 20 points? I've heard as high as 30 this morning) over the Tories has become an article of faith amongst a certain political set. Equally, this tends to get shot down
- [A review of Corbyn's "media and tech firms are evil" MacTaggart Edinburgh speech](https://nicktyrone.com/a-review-of-corbyns-media-and-tech-firms-are-evil-mactaggart-edinburgh-speech/) - Having been in transit the last few days at a hectic pace, travelling from Germany to France to Luxembourg to Belgium to France again, I mostly heard about Corbyn's speech in Edinburgh on the topic of the future of the British press through Twitter. Having proven an unreliable news source, I wanted to read the
- [Brexit, Italy and what the emotional heart of Leave is really about to the true Brexiteer](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-italy-and-what-the-emotional-heart-of-leave-is-really-about-to-the-true-brexiteer/) - I am on an extended tour through the continent with my wife and three small children. To add perspective to the following story, they are six, four and one. So, you know, small kids. We have taken in France, Italy and now Austria, where I write this article. Throughout this adventure, I have learned some
- [What does the Observer poll showing a Remain lead in seats really mean?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-does-the-observer-poll-showing-a-remain-lead-in-seats-really-mean/) - A few days ago - I think it was only a few days ago at least. I'm on an extended continental holiday - a large sample poll came out via The Observer which showed that in terms of seats, Remain was now ahead. Some of you may recall the analysis of what would have happened
- [This could be the last moment of relative calm in British politics for a while](https://nicktyrone.com/this-could-be-the-last-moment-of-relative-calm-in-british-politics-for-a-while/) - In the thick of silly season 2018, what dominates British political headlines? Everyone is bored of Brexit, and little is happening on that front that will be even nominally newsworthy until September. Luckily, several of the wacky characters at the forefront of UK politics have decided to step into the breach. News outlets search for
- [The view of Brexit from France](https://nicktyrone.com/the-view-of-brexit-from-france/) - I, like many, have chosen to holiday on the continent this year. I say many because France is even more packed with Brits than usual this year. It makes sense: this is the summer to do it, as we literally have no idea whatsoever if we'll be allowed in without some shitty American-style visa hassle
- [Getting rid of Jeremy Corbyn is fraught with peril for the Labour Left - let's count the ways](https://nicktyrone.com/getting-rid-of-jeremy-corbyn-is-fraught-with-peril-for-the-labour-left-lets-count-the-ways/) - As the anti-Semitism scandal within the Labour Party spins out of control, reaching new, ridiculous heights, palace intrigue appears to be rearing its head at long last. John McDonnell has tried to take the whole thing a lot more seriously in what appears to be an attempt to show leadership. Granted, it wouldn't be difficult
- [Is the Labour Party on the verge of splitting for real this time?](https://nicktyrone.com/is-the-labour-party-on-the-verge-of-splitting-for-real-this-time/) - Dan Hodges' article last weekend was about how twenty or so Labour MPs were finally ready to walk away. What shape this would take, the article was unclear about. New party? Resign the whip and sit as independents, hoping to one day return to planet Red? The Hodges piece wouldn't specify. It makes me wonder
- [Why Gina Miller would be a great Lib Dem leader - and why it will probably never happen](https://nicktyrone.com/why-gina-miller-would-be-a-great-lib-dem-leader-and-why-it-will-probably-never-happen/) - Rumours swirl around Westminster about the possibility that Vince Cable is trying to change the rules around who can be leader of the Liberal Democrats (ie, make it so that a non-MP can take the role) in order to guide Gina Miller into the job. This could all be completely invented, I hasten to add,
- [Here's what I think is the problem with the BBC at present](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-what-i-think-is-the-problem-with-the-bbc-at-present/) - BBC bashing is nothing new in Britain; it did not start with the vote to leave the European Union. For as long as I can remember, people have been complaining that the Beeb is biased in one way or another. I have usually taken this as evidence that the BBC is doing its job properly:
- [Here is a major constitutional problem that would arise the moment Labour got a parliamentary majority](https://nicktyrone.com/here-is-a-constitutional-problem-that-would-arise-the-moment-labour-got-a-parliamentary-majority/) - Immediately following the Chequers incident, I wrote an article explaining that I thought I knew what Theresa May was trying to do, finally. I said I wasn't sure if it would work, but at least she seemed to have a plan. However, she blew the whole thing up herself within a week, so now I'm
- [Why the "Remain cheated too" argument is a bad one for Brexiteers to make](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-remain-cheated-too-argument-is-a-bad-one-for-brexiteers-to-make/) - In the wake of the announcement by the Electoral Commission that Vote Leave overspent during the EU referendum campaign, many Leavers have decided to counter with a tactic you could broadly call "I know you are but what am I". It is a knee-jerk response which consists of saying "well, even if Vote Leave cheated
- [Why Remainers really shouldn't see the Electoral Commission Vote Leave decision as being a gamechanger](https://nicktyrone.com/why-remainers-really-shouldnt-see-the-electoral-commission-vote-leave-decision-as-being-a-gamechanger/) - Today, the Electoral Commission announced the findings of its investigation into Vote Leave and BeLeave: there was deemed to be definite collaboration, meaning that Vote Leave overspent their official limit by £625,000. The organisation has been fined £61,000 and the responsible people for both organisations, David Halsall and Darren Grimes respectfully, have been referred to
- [How we might end up with a second referendum on Europe - with only two choices, not three](https://nicktyrone.com/how-we-might-end-up-with-a-second-referendum-on-europe-with-only-two-choices-not-three/) - Justine Greening, the former secretary of state for education, is the first big name Tory MP to clearly call for a second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. She describes the Chequers agreement as a fudge - and, of course, it is - and says that parliament has no way to break the deadlock,
- [Why is the British Right so incapable of understanding Trump's motives? I think I finally get it](https://nicktyrone.com/why-is-the-british-right-so-incapable-of-understanding-trumps-motives-i-think-i-finally-get-it/) - Over this weekend, I have found reading articles from right of centre news outlets about the Trump visit and its relationship to Brexit fascinating. They come from a place that can only be arrived at with either a total ignorance of or a wilful disregard for the entire trading history of the United States of
- [My take on why I think the Lib Dems lose people like Darren Grimes to the Eurosceptic Right](https://nicktyrone.com/my-take-on-why-i-think-the-lib-dems-lose-people-like-darren-grimes-to-the-eurosceptic-right/) - A few weeks ago, I read an article by Jonathan Calder, a prominent Lib Dem blogger, entitled "The mysterious Darren Grimes". It was about how Darren Grimes, head of BeLeave, the now infamous organisation at the centre of the Vote Leave Electoral Commission investigation, was not all that long ago a declared Lib Dem. In
- [I'm starting to think that perhaps hardcore Brexiteers actually want to stop Brexit themselves](https://nicktyrone.com/im-starting-to-think-that-perhaps-hardcore-brexiteers-actually-want-to-stop-brexit-themselves/) - If Brexit somehow does not happen, historians will look back in awe at the part those who most vocally advocated the UK leaving the EU played in making sure it didn't occur. From the moment following Cameron's resignation to the present, a group of hardcore Leavers have been easily the most instrumental figures in bringing
- [Against the grain, I thought Theresa May was actually very impressive yesterday. And I think I know what her plan is now, finally](https://nicktyrone.com/against-the-grain-i-thought-theresa-may-was-actually-very-impressive-yesterday-and-i-think-i-know-what-her-plan-is-now-finally/) - Yesterday was one of the strangest days in politics I've ever seen. In the midst of two cabinet resignations, left-wing commentators had a field day talking about how the end of the government was nigh, while right-wing commentators oddly tried to bring that about themselves, going on and on about the death of Brexit and
- [Why I don't think the resignation of David Davis is actually that big a deal](https://nicktyrone.com/why-i-dont-think-the-resignation-of-david-davis-is-actually-that-big-a-deal/) - For a long time now, people in Westminster have been speculating as to what might happen if David Davis was to resign, with the assumption that May's premiership couldn't survive it. I have always doubted that this was the case, and this morning I am more sure of that than ever. While it is technically
- [Has Theresa May finally decided to lead?](https://nicktyrone.com/has-theresa-may-finally-decided-to-lead/) - As the Cabinet gathers at Chequers today, an extraordinary memo has been passed to some journalists from a Number 10 source surrounding what happens if any ministers decide to resign on the spot today (Sam Coates from the Times has put it out on Twitter): "All set for Chequers. Totally focused and confident of delivering
- [Why Corbyn needs to deselect and purge the Labour Party of moderates if he is serious about his stated goals](https://nicktyrone.com/why-corbyn-needs-to-deselect-and-purge-the-labour-party-of-moderates-if-he-is-serious-about-his-stated-goals/) - We live in surreal political times. On Friday, the Cabinet of HM government will meet at Chequers to furiously debate different post-Brexit customs arrangements, all of which have already been rejected by the EU. The political press doesn't seem able to comment on this, for whatever reason, and is instead entirely focused on the dreary
- [This is what would almost certainly happen if the "true Brexiteers" toppled May](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-what-would-almost-certainly-happen-if-the-true-brexiteers-toppled-may/) - With a crunch Cabinet meeting at Chequers on Friday on Brexit - another "make or break" meeting at Chequers, which as ever is being billed as something from which a fudge cannot emerge - talk switches to what will happen if the ERG group do not get their way. I don't really even know what
- [Why England v Belgium scared me a little](https://nicktyrone.com/why-england-v-belgium-scared-me-a-little/) - I had planned to watch last night's World Cup match with a friend I don't see all that often as he has moved out of London. We had planned to meet at a very large bar near London Bridge that has an outdoor screen. I had naively texted him to say I would get there
- [This is the major thing that the anti-Brexit campaigners are getting wrong at present](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-the-major-thing-that-the-anti-brexit-campaigners-are-getting-wrong-at-present/) - After more than a hundred thousand protestors gathered in central London last weekend, Lord Adonis tweeted a picture of proceedings with the caption "The moment Brexit died?" It highlights how much the anti-Brexit group think they have slain the enemy, which I think may be very much be the product of bubble politics. Sure, Leave
- [Why the fallout from Brexit could end up hurting Labour more than the Tories](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-fallout-from-brexit-could-end-up-hurting-labour-more-than-the-tories/) - I read an article, at least one a week, about how Brexit is going to be the death of the Conservative Party. Beyond being very cavalier about the impending doom of the most successful political party in the history of mankind, I don't agree with most of the analysis on a fundamental level. I think
- [What will the USA be like when it's not the world superpower any longer? What will their "age of reflection" look like?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-will-the-usa-be-like-when-its-not-the-world-superpower-any-longer-what-will-their-age-of-reflection-look-like/) - I'm developing an idiosyncratic theory on how Trump's presidency will be viewed twenty/thirty years hence: that it will oddly be looked upon as something that was good for the world, but a total disaster for America itself. Given this is the exact opposite of how his presidency is often discussed, by many of his detractors
- [Has Labour officially stopped trying to bring down the government?](https://nicktyrone.com/has-labour-officially-stopped-trying-to-bring-down-the-government/) - It's certainly not my place to tell the Labour Party what they should and shouldn't be doing, but aren't they, by their own rhetoric, trying to bring down the government? Isn't their main goal to end May's premiership in the hopes of bringing on a general election and then winning that plebiscite? Given communication from
- [World Cup 2018: Thoughts on England v Tunisia](https://nicktyrone.com/world-cup-2018-thoughts-on-england-v-tunisia/) - I suddenly remembered why I stopped watching England play football whenever possible about ten minutes before kick off last night. I can say with absolute certainty that I watched every single England senior men's team football match between around 1998 and the 2010 World Cup. I know because often times, when England were playing say,
- [How Theresa May is employing the "weak kid" dodgeball tactic](https://nicktyrone.com/how-theresa-may-is-employing-the-weak-kid-dodgeball-tactic/) - I'm certain a lot of you reading this will not have ever played the game known as dodgeball; in fact, I would bet that if you have even heard of the game, it is only through the Ben Stiller/Vince Vaughan comedy motion picture of 2004, or through South Park. The game is thankfully easy to
- [A review of "The Orange Book", 14 years later](https://nicktyrone.com/a-review-of-the-orange-book-14-years-later/) - In June of 2004, a bunch of up and coming Liberal Democrats together wrote "The Orange Book", a publication which had the subtitle "Reclaiming Liberalism". Within Lib Dem circles, it was highly controversial: most of its ideas and outlook were significantly to the right of your average Lib Dem activist (that not being particularly difficult,
- [Would May's government really fall if the vote on the deal was lost?](https://nicktyrone.com/would-mays-government-really-fall-if-the-vote-on-the-deal-was-lost/) - Corbyn and McDonnell have long hoped the twists and turns of Brexit would not just end Theresa May's premiership, but lead to another general election - one which they presume they'd win. This is now becoming a thing amongst Tory MPs as well. Tom Tugendhat, a rising star - as much as there are rising
- [Fundamentalist Islamism! Fake news! Suicidal pop stars! Consiracy theorists! A Slavoj Zizek wannabe! It's all here, folks](https://nicktyrone.com/fundamentalist-islamism-fake-news-suicidal-pop-stars-consiracy-theorists-a-slavoj-zizek-wannabe-its-all-here-folks/) - June, 2018. A kid from the Deep South of the USA, Noah Hastings, is the biggest pop star in the world. One night on stage in New York City, Noah commits suicide by detonating a bomb attached to his chest, killing himself and ninety-one of his fans. The public and the media, both online and
- [No, the Tory rebels cannot be "screwed" by the government: explaining the technicalities behind last night's vote](https://nicktyrone.com/no-the-tory-rebels-cannot-be-screwed-by-the-government-explaining-the-technicalities-behind-last-nights-vote/) - Many Remainers were livid with the Tory "rebels" - the Remainer Conservative MPs who had threatened to vote for the Lords' amendment on a "meaningful" vote on the final Brexit deal - for having in the end voted with the government and defeated the amendment last night. I am not asking any of you who
- [Here's how - precisely, step by step - we might end up with a no deal Brexit from here](https://nicktyrone.com/how-precisely-we-might-end-up-with-a-no-deal-brexit-from-here/) - For a long time, I have assumed that a soft Brexit was all but assured. This was because 1). it is blatantly clear that May is engineering one and 2). either the ERG bunch don't feel they have the power to remove her, don't want to and are thus happy to settle for a soft
- [Here's where I think most Leavers are at the moment](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-where-i-think-most-leavers-are-at-the-moment/) - If you're a Leaver of the Leninist type, a la Rees-Mogg, the parameters are clear. Everything comes down to next Tuesday: if the "meaningful vote" amendment passes, things look hairy. We're in for a soft Brexit, almost certainly. At least, for now - they can always point to the fact that another prime minister can
- [What is with the pro-Russian thing on the Left? Where did it come from and where is it going?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-is-with-the-pro-russian-thing-on-the-left-where-did-it-come-from-and-where-is-it-going/) - Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the dissolution of the Soviet Union into a number of independent nation states, and with it a transition within Russia from a fully centralised socialist economy to a capitalist one, was carried out appalling poorly. Simplifying the story for brevity’s sake, the immediate post-Soviet government, for all intents and
- [What is it about the backstop that David Davis suddenly doesn't like?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-is-it-about-the-backstop-that-david-davis-suddenly-doesnt-like/) - Yesterday was another classic example of Mayism. The Prime Minister was all set to send a note to Brussels about the backstop arrangements, a note that in true May style had a time limited clause that specified no time limit, her cabinet be damned, then David Davis got a bit huffy about it and so
- [The "Labour amendment" to the EU Withdrawal Bill represents a new low for Corbyn's leadership](https://nicktyrone.com/the-labour-amendment-to-the-eu-withdrawal-bill-represents-a-new-low-for-corbyns-leadership/) - On Tuesday the 12th of June, all 15 amendments the Lords made to the EU Withdrawal Bill return to the House of Commons - with only one day given over to debate and the relevant votes. While it is clear this represents a certain amount of desperation on the part of Theresa May, it is
- [Why is May trying to get all of the Withdrawal Bill amendments through in one day? It can be for one of these three reasons](https://nicktyrone.com/why-is-may-trying-to-get-all-of-the-withdrawal-bill-amendments-through-in-one-day-it-can/) - There are many in Westminster questioning Theresa May's decision to hold one day of debate, with all of the votes inclusive, on the 15 Lords amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill - and many feeling sure they have the answer to that question. Here are the only possible reasons she is doing it this way:
- [Just how "socialist" are Corbyn, his followers and his policies? And how much should that worry us all?](https://nicktyrone.com/just-how-socialist-are-corbyn-his-followers-and-his-policies-and-how-much-should-that-worry-us-all/) - Corbyn, like the rest of the current British hard left, presents himself as incredibly radical at times, yet at others as essentially moderate in approach, depending on the intended audience. He gets away with this in much the same way Donald Trump manages to land his wild vacillations: by throwing everything at the public so
- [This is why anti-Semitism really runs so deep on the British Left - and why that makes it so hard to stamp out](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-why-anti-semitism-really-runs-so-deep-on-the-british-left-and-why-that-makes-it-so-hard-to-stamp-out/) - On April 17th, 2018, after much discussion within the Labour Party on the subject, a debate was had in the House of Commons around the topic of anti-Semitism in British politics. And while it was officially about that, it was really about anti-Semitism within the Labour Party. There were several poignant speeches from Labour MPs
- [Okay, now the Brexiteer obsession with Italy is getting extremely irritating](https://nicktyrone.com/okay-now-the-brexiteer-obsession-with-italy-is-getting-extremely-irritating/) - Given this looks set to drag on for some time ahead, I will write this article here and now and then shut up about it. It is a Remainer trope that that the Brexiteers are on their last legs; that they see the dream dying and are wrapped up in an angry phase of denial
- [How Theresa May not promoting from within could lead to her downfall](https://nicktyrone.com/how-theresa-may-not-promoting-from-within-could-lead-to-her-downfall/) - Tom Tugendhat is giving a speech today about foreign policy. For those of you who do not know, Tugendhat is a Tory MP, elected at the 2015 general election. He is also chair of the Foreign Affairs select committee. It is a strange time for select committees in that they are staffed with a greater
- [Why are England's sporting failures always so predictably samey?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-are-englands-sporting-failures-always-so-samey-and-predictable/) - It is Day Two of the first test match of the summer; already, England have found a way to massively disappoint. They won the toss and elected to bat, on what was a windy, overcast day; it was as if Root had decided to bat first if he could the week before and no acts
- [Why the triggering of Article 50 made no sense](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-triggering-of-article-50-made-no-sense/) - I would highly recommend, to my Remainer readers especially, reading Dominic Cummings blog, at least when he writes about Brexit. That may seem counterintuitive, but I do so because Cummings' blog is like an oasis in a sea of Brexit insanity; he is now, sadly, one of the only Leavers who writes about leaving the
- [When exactly will Brexiteers overcome the myth that Brexit is an existential threat to the EU?](https://nicktyrone.com/when-exactly-will-brexiteers-overcome-the-myth-that-brexit-is-an-existential-threat-to-the-eu/) - William Hague has written an article in today's Telegraph entitled "As Itay has shown, the Euro is a far bigger threat to Europe than Brexit". To which my reply, even before reading the article, was "No shit, Will". At the heart of the intellectual case for Brexit was the idea that faced with Britain leaving
- [Forget about Corbyn, I'm worried Theresa May is playing the long game now](https://nicktyrone.com/forget-about-corbyn-im-worried-theresa-may-is-playing-the-long-game-now/) - I find myself often trying to figure out what Theresa May is doing these days. As in, what is the strategy she is pursuing exactly, not just in terms of Brexit, but everything else too. One must begin by recognising that most of her premiership is about Brexit and roll from there. Instead of laying
- [Labour Live flops: why you should never overestimate your popularity in politics](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-live-flops-why-you-should-never-overestimate-your-popularity-in-politics/) - In case you are unaware, the Labour Party is holding a pop concert in north London (the party itself describes it as a "one-day festival of music, art and politics that brings together our incredible movement") on June 16th. Hear The Magic Numbers, Rae Morris, and Owen Jones (not singing, but ranting, one assumes) and
- [Could this be what causes the next major rupture within the Labour Party?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-this-be-what-causes-the-next-major-rupture-within-the-labour-party/) - Every Monday when parliament is in session, in the early evenings, the parliamentary Labour Party meets for a chat. These get togethers have been witness to some explosive moments over the past few years - moderate MPs leaving f-ing and blinding, sometimes leaving nuggets for the assorted hacks outside to chew over - but the
- [Could the Tories really be seriously considering calling another general election?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-the-tories-really-be-seriously-considering-calling-another-general-election/) - Over the weekend, Nigel Farage, who has managed to keep effectively stirring the shit in British politics long past the point you would have ever thought possible, said he thinks Theresa May is thinking of calling another general election. His proof for this was May's admittedly rather odd social media post, which read: "The path
- [Why yesterday's vote in the House of Lords on the EEA was so bad for Corbyn](https://nicktyrone.com/why-yesterdays-vote-in-the-house-of-lords-on-the-eea-was-so-bad-for-corbyn/) - Last night, the House of Lords inflicted the final bunch of defeats on the government in relation to the EU Withdrawal Bill, bringing the total to 13. The most notable amongst them was an amendment that, if passed when the Bill returns to the Commons, would force the government to try and keep the UK
- [Brexiteers who want to ditch any talk of a customs union with the EU should come clean about the Union](https://nicktyrone.com/brexiteers-who-want-to-ditch-any-talk-of-a-customs-union-with-the-eu-should-come-clean-about-the-union/) - The situation in regards to the UK-EU discussions seems to be that the cabinet argued last week about two options for supposedly solving the Irish border situation, neither of which were accepted nor rejected, and it was all immaterial anyhow as both of them had been rejected by the EU Commission already. This, combined with
- [Why Labour may now have a big problem with Brexit, much larger than generally imagined](https://nicktyrone.com/why-labour-may-now-have-a-big-problem-with-brexit-much-larger-than-generally-imagined/) - Corbynistas continue to gnash their teeth about the local election results, alternatively blaming Blairite sabotage, the MSM, and the Tories piloting voter ID (which probably affected 0.0000000001% of the electorate, but never mind). What they may wish to consider is how bad the party's position is on Brexit. While the fudge may have been seen
- [Reflections on the local elections 2018: man, this feels good](https://nicktyrone.com/reflections-on-the-local-elections-2018-man-this-feels-good/) - I can't remember the last time any election result in Britain didn't make me thoroughly depressed, or at the very least, dismissively irritated (like that feeling you get when watching England play football, and the keeper falls over and accidentally throws the ball into the net). But today, I feel pretty good. Everyone is going
- [Nostalgia moment of the month: Gazetta Football Italia](https://nicktyrone.com/nostalgia-moment-of-the-month-gazetta-football-italia/) - It was the impending World Cup that made me think of it - Gazetta Football Italia, I mean. I'm slightly dreading the next version of the tournament finals to determine which nation rules supreme in the sport of association football for various reasons, part of which is general Putin-phobia, but I feel certain I would
- [If I was Theresa May, this is what I would say to the Brexit subcommittee today](https://nicktyrone.com/if-i-was-theresa-may-this-is-what-i-would-say-to-the-brexit-subcommittee-today/) - Today represents another hurdle in May's battle for/against/whatever she's now doing with Brexit, involving a meeting of the Brexit subcommittee. What makes it all the more daunting is that the prime minister has lost an ally in Amber Rudd on the subcommittee. She is also near the point where continuing to fudge everything is becoming
- [Theresa May makes the only logical move available to her](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-makes-the-only-logical-move-available-to-her/) - Amber Rudd had to go. Wherever you can rightfully apportion blame here - and May, as usual, deserves quite a lot - Rudd telling parliament there were no deportation targets, later proven not only to be false but that Rudd had knowledge of them when she spoke to parliament meant she could not stay in
- [Today's conspiracy theory from the Left is one for the ages. Welcome to the ne plus ultra of idiotic leftist thinking, folks](https://nicktyrone.com/todays-conspiracy-theory-from-the-left-is-one-for-the-ages-welcome-to-the-ne-plus-ultra-of-idiotic-leftist-thinking-folks/) - A conspiracy theory regarding the Windrush scandal is being put round Twitter (and I assume other social media) by several leftists today. Those of you who have no idea what this conspiracy theory entails are now using your imaginations to come up with what it might be, I'm sure. But it is so absurd, you
- [Why the latest London poll makes extremely dire reading for the Lib Dems](https://nicktyrone.com/latest-london-poll-makes-extremely-dire-reading-lib-dems/) - Owen Jones tweeted a couple of days ago: I "I'm told a poll is coming out on Thursday which isn't good for Labour in London. It's been a hellish few weeks for Labour. It's not in the bag in the local elections. Not even close. This is a wake-up call. If you don't vote and encourage
- [The Brexiteer threats to the House of Lords are nothing but an elaborate bluff](https://nicktyrone.com/brexiteer-threats-house-lords-elaborate-bluff/) - At an Open Europe event this week, Jacob Rees-Mogg, now the great white hopes of the Conservative right, said a lot about the House of Lords. Here's a snippet: "When it challenges the democratic will, as it is doing now, then we get fed up with it and think it has very little legitimacy and
- [Where is the government on the Customs Union issue? The fun continues](https://nicktyrone.com/government-customs-union-issue-fun-continues/) - As I have predicted for a long time, signs are definitely there that HM government understands the only way to avoid a hard border in Ireland is at the very, very least to remain in what will effectively be the Customs Union post-Brexit, semantics aside. I say the very least as that may not be
- [Nick Timothy seemingly tries to pass the buck for the anti-immigrant vans onto Mark Harper and/or the Lib Dems. Did he really think this would work?](https://nicktyrone.com/nick-timothy-tries-pass-buck-anti-immigrant-vans-onto-mark-harper-lib-dems-really-think-work/) - When Nick Timothy was given a column in the Telegraph, many groaned but I was quite looking forward to it. I figured here was a guy who had made some perfectly understandable assumptions that had turned out to be really, really wrong, the result of which probably changed the course of British history. I thought
- [Just some quick thoughts on last night's anti-Semitism debate in the House of Commons](https://nicktyrone.com/just-quick-thoughts-last-nights-anti-semitism-debate-house-commons/) - The government should be in a tricky place at the moment. First of all, the Windrush scandal should be hurting them badly. And it is - but Corbyn's own problems with anti-Semitism give May a partial out. She used it against Corbyn at PMQs today because she knew it would stick. Secondly, they are having
- [How should I vote in the local elections? Please, let me know](https://nicktyrone.com/i-vote-local-elections-please-let-know/) - I live in Camberwell, Southwark - I'm in a very, very safe Labour ward. It's the kind of ward in which, in 2014, the three Labour candidates were way above any other party (by more than a thousand votes); followed by the three Green candidates as a block; then some independents/very small parties; finally, the
- [We have tried "non-western intervention" in Syria already. It hasn't worked](https://nicktyrone.com/tried-non-western-intervention-syria-already-hasnt-worked/) - I'll shut up about Syria in a second, I just have this one thing to get off my chest. Jeremy Corbyn and many others, since May first made her intention to join the US and France in bombing Assad chemical weapons targets inside of Syria known, have vocalised a view that goes like this: western
- [The next phase of Brexit dawns: Leavers are preparing the ground for the UK having to remain in a customs union post-Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/next-phase-brexit-dawns-leavers-preparing-ground-uk-remain-customs-union-post-brexit/) - Asa Bennett had an article put up on the Telegraph website yesterday afternoon entitled "Could Theresa May get away with a customs union climbdown?"For close watchers of all things Brexit, it is the first in what I imagine will be a long series of articles by Leave supporting pundits preparing the ground for Britain remaining
- [Here's what I'll say about Britain intervening in Syria in 2018](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-ill-say-britain-intervening-syria-2018/) - Back in 2012 and 2013, I shouted long and hard about how the West needed to militarily intervene in Syria. I figured if we didn't, hundreds of thousands would die and five years later we'd still be seeing mass slaughter of human life inside of Syria. As someone who objected to the Iraq invasion, I
- [For what is supposedly a ridiculous idea, a lot of people seem really put out by all this new centrist party gossip](https://nicktyrone.com/supposedly-ridiculous-idea-lot-people-seem-really-put-new-centrist-party-gossip/) - News came out this week that a nascent centrist party is in the works, guided by 50 million quid and a rich chap named Simon Franks. Hands up: I've known all about this for several months now. In fact, I know of several such schemes, all of them uncoordinated with each other, all of them
- [Here's one small ray of sunshine for Remainers](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-one-small-ray-sunshine-remainers/) - I have said again and again that Brexit is very, very, very likely to happen next year. Also, that far from the hard Brexit scenarios imagined by most, I think the UK government will fold on almost everything (as they have done up until now) and come to a deal that is essentially continued membership
- [Why inequality in Britain, particularly regional inequality, is almost certainly going to get worse - even if Corbyn becomes prime minister](https://nicktyrone.com/equality-britain-particularly-regional-equality-almost-certainly-going-get-worse-even-corbyn-becomes-prime-minister/) - While there are huge differences of opinion about what caused the country to vote for Brexit, almost everyone concedes that regional inequality and inequality in general had something to do with it. When you look at the regional disparity in terms of Remain and Leave votes, this becomes indisputable. Yet leaving the EU isn't going
- [The centre of British politics has no great shinning hope. Or does it?](https://nicktyrone.com/centre-british-politics-no-great-shinning-hope/) - I had a Twitter conversation with a journalist about David Miliband earlier today. His point was that DM was nowhere near as great as centrists claim; that he speaks in a language not dissimilar to his brother, distant and overly wonkish. I joked that "he's the best there is available. And he's not even available".
- [Simple question: what the hell is everyone thinking at the moment? A dissection of the last 24 hours in politics](https://nicktyrone.com/simple-question-hell-everyone-thinking-moment-dissection-last-24-hours-politics/) - Something that gets lobbed at liberals these days is that the reason we feel so befuddled is because politics has been inverted by Brexit and Trump, and that our confusion is simply us feeling what everyone else felt for several decades. I've tried to empathise with this position as much as possible, partly to understand
- [Why does the Labour frontbench find anti-Semitism so hard to actually deal with?](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-frontbench-find-anti-semitism-hard-actually-deal/) - It was Rebecca Long-Bailey's turn. The hapless shadow BEIS secretary (just typing that now gave me a shudder) was the latest to be wheeled out to make some grandiose yet ultimately content free statement on behalf of the Labour Party on the subject du jour, namely how a). anti-Semitism was no longer going to be
- [Why, after the last week, I don't think Labour can possibly win a general election](https://nicktyrone.com/last-week-i-dont-think-labour-can-possibly-win-general-election/) - I should caveat that headline a little, since I'm now out of the game of predictions: as things stand, I just don't see how Labour can possibly win a general election. We live in volatile times, and things can change very quickly, of course. Corbyn could quit and then Labour turns itself around in record
- [Why the Cambridge Analytica story leaves me uneasy, aka what's wrong with the "web of douchebags" theory](https://nicktyrone.com/cambridge-analytica-story-leaves-uneasy-different-way-friends/) - The Guardian story around the supposed "dark arts" performed by the company Cambridge Analytica is still going strong. It has apparently caused a massive dip in Facebook's share price amongst other things. I've reflected a lot on the story and read every article I can find about it, both in Britain and in the American
- [Here's another problem a second referendum on EU membership might present](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-another-problem-second-referendum-eu-membership-might-present/) - While most of the political world is engaged in the culture war around Brexit, I like to have fun thinking of all the possible constitutional and other assorted crises it might throw up. I thought of one last night that has to do with a possible second referendum scenario. Whatever anyone tells you, Theresa May
- [A review of the Brexity fish-centric protest on the Thames this morning](https://nicktyrone.com/review-brexity-fish-centric-protest-thames-morning/) - This morning, a fishing boat called Holladays sailed down the Thames loaded with right-wing MPs, Nigel Farage, and a bunch of journos. It was a protest at the fact that the transition deal May has negotiated will keep Britain in the Common Fishing Policy throughout, i.e. until December 2020. Farage as mentioned, was on the
- [Transitional period agreed between the EU and the UK - here's what that really means](https://nicktyrone.com/transitional-period-agreed-eu-uk-heres-really-means/) - Today, Barnier and Davis held a joint press conference announcing that a transitional period, to last from the end of March 2019 until December 31, 2020, had been agreed by the two parties. However, as ever with these negotiations, it's worth looking into the detail. There are days when that whole "Theresa May is a
- [Was the upbeat tone of the spring statement ill-advised? A closer look](https://nicktyrone.com/upbeat-tone-spring-statement-ill-advised-closer-look/) - Okay, I understand why, for many reasons, Phil Hammond didn't want to give another doom and gloom statement from the Treasury about the economic conditions of today's Great Britain. One, he's starting to get typecast; two, he wants to seem medium-Brexity for the short term at least, so he had to inject some oomph into
- [Yesterday's session in the House shows why I'd still rather have Theresa May as prime minister over Jeremy Corbyn](https://nicktyrone.com/yesterdays-session-house-shows-id-still-rather-theresa-may-prime-minister-jeremy-corbyn/) - I think it's fair to say I've never been the greatest fan of Theresa May as PM. I have often ranted here about her failings as leader of the Conservative Party and of the country. I even dismissed her in the opening page of my last book as "crap". However, if it came down to
- [How we could be headed for a serious Brexit related constitutional crisis - but not the one you've heard about](https://nicktyrone.com/headed-serious-brexit-related-constitutional-crisis-not-one-youve-heard/) - I'm going to try and keep this as straightforward as I can - but a warning that this gets into heavy constitutional technicalities as a matter of course. That's where we've got to now. Best for Britain, the Remainer campaign group, is launching a legal challenge against the government with the aim of getting a
- [People will build up the local election results in May. Here's why they don't matter much to the national picture](https://nicktyrone.com/people-will-build-local-election-results-may-heres-dont-matter-much-national-picture/) - In May of last year, we had a set of local elections, as indeed we do every May. People don't talk about the results of them much anymore for several reasons. One, once they come and go, people tend to forget all about the national results of local elections - even though, immediately afterwards, they
- [We've gone from "we're all liberals" to the exact opposite in the last couple of years. What happened?](https://nicktyrone.com/weve-gone-liberals-exact-opposite-last-couple-years-happened/) - A few years back, Maurice Glasman, the academic and Labour peer, and Philip Blond, once described as "Cameron's philosopher king" and founder and director of the think tank Respublica, would run sessions on "Red Toryism v Blue Labour" and how that were not all that far apart. The basic pitch was two pronged: one, social
- [Why May's mention of the US-Canada border in relation to Ireland has me worried - about the state of the Left](https://nicktyrone.com/mays-mention-us-canada-border-relation-ireland-worried-state-left/) - Theresa May spoke in the House yesterday to update the Commons on what the Mansion House speech might mean in practice. In answer to an inevitable question regarding the Irish border, the Prime Minister said: “There are many examples of different arrangements for customs around the rest of the world. Indeed we are looking at
- [Remainers are beginning to lull themselves into a false sense of security that Brexit won't happen. They're misguided](https://nicktyrone.com/remainers-beginning-lull-false-sense-security-brexit-wont-happen-theyre-misguided/) - Tony Blair has said very recently that he now thinks there is a 50% chance Brexit won't happen. If you go on Twitter and search through the #FBPE pro-European hashtag, you will find a lot of people who have almost convinced themselves that not only will Brexit not happen, it can't happen. Remainers are starting
- [First thoughts on Theresa May's latest Brexit speech - why this should have been the spiel at Lancaster House over a year ago](https://nicktyrone.com/first-thoughts-theresa-mays-latest-brexit-speech-spiel-lancaster-house/) - Reports leading up to today's speech were mixed. On one hand, Chris Grayling said that "the prime minister will recognise in the speech today that it is not about cherry picking, that we can’t have everything that we might like to have because we are leaving." This seemed to suggest more realism, which was to
- [The Tories have now picked up one of Labour's worst habits](https://nicktyrone.com/tories-now-picked-one-labours-worst-habits/) - It would be an understatement to say that Tory Brexiteers are less than pleased with John Major this morning. The former PM gave a speech to the Creative Industries Federation yesterday in which he gave Brexit a good talking down and called for a second referendum on the matter. It was a pretty in your
- [The Tories had better figure out a way to stop drifting away from business](https://nicktyrone.com/tories-better-figure-way-stop-drifting-away-business/) - It can't be overstated what a milestone the Institute of Directors praising, even cautiously and with plenty of caveats, a speech by Jeremy Corbyn happens to be. That a properly socialist Labour leader could get praise from groups that are the backbone of British capitalism says a lot about how the Tories have allowed Brexit
- [How does Corbyn's speech today change the dynamics of Brexit?](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyns-speech-today-change-dynamics-brexit/) - In examining Corbyn's Coventry speech, one main question needs to be asked: does a Labour government feel more likely after it, or less likely? I have to say that it not only feels more likely, but much more likely. The Tories need to grasp what a threat the speech and what it sets out poses
- [Why I wouldn't get your hopes up about a coherent Brexit plan from Labour after this week](https://nicktyrone.com/i-wouldnt-get-hopes-coherent-brexit-plan-labour-week/) - There has been a flurry of new information from major shadow cabinet figures about Brexit this week, after what seemed liked an enforced silence on the topic. Unfortunately, it all makes as much sense as it usually does. John McDonnell has jumped on the extremely irritating "a" customs union with the EU, not be confused
- [Why does the media still feign surprise at Theresa May's political moves?](https://nicktyrone.com/media-still-feign-surprise-theresa-mays-political-moves/) - “Exclusive: Cabinet did not agree to Theresa May's strategy for Brexit transition period, senior ministers say” reads a headline in today’s Telegraph. It may just as well have read “Exclusive: humans require oxygen to live”. One of the more annoying things about the age we live in – and given Donald Trump is president of
- [The right-wing press is fighting the wrong battle with Corbyn - again](https://nicktyrone.com/right-wing-press-fighting-wrong-battle-corbyn/) - The "Corbyn consulted with Commie spy" story has run across pretty much every newspaper you would consider right of centre in Great Britain now. It is clearly part of a concerted effort to change people's minds about the Labour leader. If they can't get to the young lefties who would never read The Daily Mail
- [Why Brexiteers finally turning against the Good Friday Agreement is so dangerous](https://nicktyrone.com/brexiteers-finally-turning-good-friday-agreement-dangerous/) - On Friday, former NI-Secretary Owen Paterson tweeted “The collapse of power-sharing in Northern Ireland shows the Good Friday Agreement has outlived its use” with a link to a Daily Telegraph article written by Ruth Dudley Edwards. The crucial paragraph from the Edwards piece is the final one: “Realists believe the GFA has served its purpose
- [Could the vote to Leave the EU ultimately lead to a more pro-European Britain?](https://nicktyrone.com/vote-leave-eu-ultimately-lead-pro-european-britain/) - Despite what some Remainers may have you believe, Brexit looks pretty set to happen. With both the government and the official opposition wedded to it taking place (while taking up over 80% of the available vote), it is hard to see what blows it off course. Unless, of course, it is actually impossible for the
- [Examining Boris Johnson's EU speech - well, one sentence in it at least, which was enough](https://nicktyrone.com/examining-boris-johnsons-eu-speech-well-one-sentence-least-enough/) - My most basic feeling about the BoJo speech on the EU is: why do we need another one of these from a rogue cabinet member? Can't the government just come up with a collective position and then announce it? How am I supposed to take the intentions set out in the Boris speech other than
- [Why having no tariffs is as utopian having no immigration control whatsoever](https://nicktyrone.com/no-tariffs-utopian-no-immigration-control-whatsoever/) - Policy Exchange have released a report today entitled, Global Champion: the Case for Unilateral Free Trade. There are many good points raised in it. The paper reminds us that free trade is a good thing, for both rich and poor, and that a lot of the myths surrounding it are just that. "‘Food security’, for example,
- [Hear me out on this: I'm starting to think we might actually need hard Brexit to happen](https://nicktyrone.com/hear-im-starting-think-might-actually-need-hard-brexit-happen/) - It may sound very strange for a Remainer to say that I think hard Brexit has become necessary. But that's where I think we might now be. Despite a terrible, shambolic set of negotiations so far by Theresa May and her cohorts; despite forecasts of economic doom, particularly for the North East and the Midlands,
- [Corbyn isn't "on the fence" on Brexit. Why is that so hard for Remainers to absorb?](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-isnt-fence-brexit-hard-remainers-absorb/) - Gina Miller, the Emmeline Pankhurst of the Remainer movement, tweeted yesterday: YOUTH TO CORBYN: GET OFF THE FENCE ON BREXIT, OR ELSE! What struck me as so odd about this tweet is that Jeremy Corbyn isn't on any fence on Brexit. I can’t say he was never on the fence on EU membership - he
- [Explaining the Customs Union fudge and just how bad the "dream team" idea is](https://nicktyrone.com/explaining-customs-union-fudge-just-bad-dream-team-idea/) - We're on the perihelion of the government's Brexit cycle - when the official position is closest to Rees-Moggness. After Hammond's "slip" at Davos, admitting that a soft Brexit is what we're headed for, May has to assert all manner of hard Brexitiness, with Downing Street telling us now that we will definitely be leaving the
- [The answer to populism is relatively simple: sustained competence](https://nicktyrone.com/answer-populism-relatively-simple-sustained-competence/) - Appearing on This Week this week, Michael Portillo had this to say about Rees-Mogg as potential PM: "Because he is not in office he has the luxury of saying pretty much what he thinks, that he is clear cut and relatively charismatic and that he has ideas and that all of these things are what
- [Why Theresa May's attempt to fiddle with the transition period will go predictably wrong](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-mays-attempt-fiddle-transition-period-will-go-predictably-wrong/) - This week, another microcosm of the Theresa May premiership. One of her more pro-European ministers - usually Philip Hammond - says something that reflects the reality that the government is heading for a transition period during which we'll kind of be in the EU, except without any say in anything. Following that, a post-transition in
- [Here's what is sorely missing from the Brexit debate - and why it makes Brexit such a certainty](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-sorely-missing-brexit-debate-makes-brexit-certainty/) - I know what you're thinking - there are a lot of things missing from the Brexit debate. Some realistic form of what post-Brexit Britain might look like, some of you might say. What I'm going to talk about here is what Remainers are getting wrong - and why that makes Brexit almost certain to happen,
- [If the Tory backbenchers finally pull the plug on May, who will become prime minister? A journey into the bizarre](https://nicktyrone.com/tory-backbenchers-finally-pull-plug-may-will-become-prime-minister-journey-bizarre/) - Rumours swirl around Westminster that Conservative backbenchers have finally had their fill of May's premiership; Graham Brady, the leader of the 1922 Committee, is now at the point of begging MPs not to put their letters in. Again, so the rumours have it. I'm still not so sure that her end at PM is quite
- [Why I don't think a second EU referendum is a good idea](https://nicktyrone.com/i-dont-think-second-eu-referendum-good-idea/) - I'll start by saying that if was simply up to me, I'd keep Britain in the EU. I was a Remainer before the referendum result, and nothing has convinced me since that leaving the EU would make the country better off. However, I also remain against the idea of a second referendum on the question.
- [Mark E Smith dies - a tribute to my favourite four songs by The Fall](https://nicktyrone.com/mark-e-smith-dies-tribute-favourite-four-songs-fall/) - In some ways, I think it's probably remarkable Mark E Smith made it to 60. Well known for his drinking, not to mention his love of amphetamines (it comes up A LOT in Fall lyrics), Smith lived life on the edge for what seemed to be all of his adult life. None of this removes
- [Here's what I don't get about the hardcore Brexiteers at the moment](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-i-dont-get-hardcore-brexiteers-moment/) - The news on Brexit lately has been mostly of a piece, for once. "Brexit: UK has already 'agreed in principle' with EU to Norway-style transition" ran a headline in the Independent on Monday. "Should we stay or should we go? Why the EU customs union issue is threatening to rip Tory party apart" was the
- [It was these two things that led to Britain's recovery in the 80s - and why that's relevant to where we are now](https://nicktyrone.com/two-things-led-britains-recovery-80s-thats-relevant-now/) - Warning: I am very likely to alienate almost everyone with this article. You have been forewarned. As most of us know (although there are still holdouts on the Left on this subject, which will become relevant later on), Britain was in a bit of a mess in the 1970s. The "sick man of Europe" the
- [The Labour Party takes one more step towards destruction - how it could unwind from here](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-party-takes-one-step-towards-destruction-unwind/) - I sometimes wonder what I would start my documentary about the death of the Labour Party with, years from now. Until today, I figured the first clip would be Ed Miliband's resignation speech following the 2015 election defeat. While all of Scotland bar one constituency had been wiped out, and Ed Balls, his prospective chancellor,
- [Nigel Farage is simply ahead of the curve on the Brexiteer desire for a second referendum](https://nicktyrone.com/nigel-farage-simply-ahead-curve-brexiteer-desire-second-referendum/) - Some have commented that Farage only wants a second referendum in order to be back in the national spotlight again. While that may well be amongst the reasons he has introduced this idea into the debate - that Brexiteers, even of Farage-grade, can be second referendum cheerleaders - I think you actually have to give
- [This is why Labour is really against a second EU referendum](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-really-second-eu-referendum/) - I want to say at the start of this article, I'm still a little uneasy about the whole concept of a second EU referendum myself. This is because either result of such a referendum would bring with it major problems. If Remain won, there would be an undoubtable feeling of "the establishment kept asking the
- [This is the biggest problem the Conservative Party faces - and it's not Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/biggest-problem-conservative-party-faces-not-brexit/) - Michael Gove was on Radio 4 this morning, talking about the environment but of course, was asked about Brexit and many other things affecting the Tories at present. Whatever you think of his politics, it is amazing how much better at this sort of thing Gove is than most of the rest of the cabinet.
- [Toby Young has now quit - why this reflects badly on the Left](https://nicktyrone.com/toby-young-now-quit-reflects-badly-left/) - This morning it has been announced that Toby Young has resigned from the board of the Office of Students. The resignation follows a barrage of complaints on social media, almost solely from the Left. The attacks seemed to focus on two things in regards to Mr Young's supposed lack of suitability for the job. Before
- [If you think this reshuffle means Theresa May is weak, you might want to think again](https://nicktyrone.com/think-reshuffle-means-theresa-may-weak-might-want-think/) - The reshuffle is ongoing as I write this, with most of it still to come. So far, it's been a good day for Brandon Lewis, a bad day for CCHQ's social media team. I could offer my thoughts on the reshuffle overall - from what's in the air as rumours thus far, most of it
- [Could a Labour-SNP-Lib Dem coalition government actually work in any way?](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-snp-lib-dem-actually-work-way/) - The polls have settled into one of their periodic lulls. They consistently come back with Labour and the Tories pretty much neck in neck, both of them in the very early 40s. Some of them have the Tories a point or two ahead, some of them have Labour just ahead. UKIP are still dead and
- [Here's the latest constitutional problem thrown up by Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-latest-constitutional-problem-thrown-brexit/) - Unless something really unforeseen happens, the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will pass the House of Commons in the coming weeks. This is where the fun might just begin. For it then goes to the House of Lords. Several peers have been vocal about their dislike of the Bill (not least Andrew Adonis) and the government,
- [Exploring how racism works in 2018](https://nicktyrone.com/exploring-racism-works-2018/) - Happy New Year everyone. Yesterday, possibly out of boredom created by the long holiday season, I kicked a hornet's nest on Twitter. Not like the time I tweeted at an official Assad apologist whom I knew had to have their account booby trapped by Putin bots (I got over a thousand responses; most of them
- [A Christmas message for Brexiteers](https://nicktyrone.com/christmas-message-brexiteers/) - It was a mixed year for the Brexit inclined. The general election was messy from a Brexit perspective: sure, one can say that given Labour's hard Brexit stance at the time, 85% of the electorate voted for parties that supported not just leaving the EU, but doing so in the "cleanest" way possible. Yet given
- [Why the UN Jerusalem vote is bigger than you think it is - it shows us the future of America](https://nicktyrone.com/un-jerusalem-vote-bigger-think-shows-us-future-america/) - Yesterday, the United Nations general assembly had a vote around the United States' decision to formally recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by relocating its embassy there. It was a landslide victory for those countries who voted against America's decision, with 128 countries voting to support the longstanding international consensus that who gets to
- [Here's what I really loved about "The Last Jedi"](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-i-really-loved-last-jedi/) - This article contains spoilers. Only two main pieces of plot information are given over below, but if you really don't want to know anything at all about the film, turn away now. "The Last Jedi" has received a mixed reaction so far. Critics, by and large, love it; hardcore Star Wars fanboys, for the most
- [I think I've finally figured out why Theresa May lost her majority in June - and why that's still important now](https://nicktyrone.com/i-think-ive-finally-figured-theresa-may-lost-majority-june-thats-still-important-now/) - There are many competing theories as to why May managed to lose her parliamentary majority in a snap election she called in order to increase the slim one she was sitting on. In my book "Apocalypse Delayed: Why the Left is Still in Trouble", I had a go at few myself. Usually people surmise it
- [There are now two main tribes of Brexiteers. Here's how that might play out](https://nicktyrone.com/now-two-main-tribes-brexiteers-heres-might-play/) - As talk between the UK government and the EU moves past phase one (the easy bit, which wasn't particularly easy) onto discussions around the transitional phase (or implementation phase according to government semantics), people have begun to wonder how Theresa May will manage to keep both Remainers and Leavers in her party happy. I'll go
- [What will "meaningful vote" actually mean in the end? The importance of tonight's vote](https://nicktyrone.com/will-meaningful-vote-actually-mean-end-importance-tonights-vote/) - David Davis and his ministers have already promised a vote on the deal the government strikes with the EU, ages ago now in Brexit terms. Only, it was never much of a concession: it's take it or leave it, in the words of Steve Baker, meaning either parliament would accept the deal - or Britain
- [The new Brexit "deal" - and how the Customs Union fits in](https://nicktyrone.com/new-brexit-deal-customs-union-fits/) - Theresa May has managed to move the trade talks with the EU onto phase two. Whatever I have ever said to her discredit, I have to hand her that victory. It may have saved her premiership - although, as I've said many times before, I have my doubts about whether Tory MPs really would have
- [Here's why the hardcore Tory Brexiteers are sticking with May - and will probably continue to do so](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-hardcore-tory-brexiteers-sticking-may-will-probably-continue/) - One of the strangest things about the current political era is that we have a prime minister who campaigned (however weakly) for Remain, yet has (in public rhetoric terms anyhow) become the one who has set out a hard Brexit path. It has been widely speculated that the reason hard Brexiteers have been relatively loyal
- [It may well come down to a choice between Brexit and keeping the Union together](https://nicktyrone.com/may-well-come-choice-brexit-keeping-union-together/) - One of the things about the whole Brexit dynamic that I fail to grasp, and by Brexit dynamic I don't just mean the referendum held on June 23, 2016 and its aftermath but rather the whole of Eurosceptic thought since at least 2009, is the attitudes towards the Union shown by the Brexit passionate. Almost
- [Yesterday was a national embarrasment of epic proportions - so why is the coverage of it so muted?](https://nicktyrone.com/yesterday-national-embarrasment-epic-proportions-coverage-muted/) - Let's unpick what happened yesterday. The British prime minister travelled to Brussels to have lunch with the president of the European Commission, over which it was planned that they would finalise the wordings that would allow the trade talks between the UK and the EU to move to the next stage. The big issue that
- [The Irish border issue cannot be fudged forever](https://nicktyrone.com/irish-border-issue-cannot-fudged-forever/) - As of this moment, it looks as if the UK government has got the EU to agree to move the trade talks forward based on an agreement that there will be no regulatory divergence between at least Northern Ireland and Ireland, meaning that there will be no hard border. Except it is a fudge, of
- ["Go whistle" becomes "we've already said we'd pay": the evolution of the cost of Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/go-whistle-becomes-weve-already-said-wed-pay-evolution-cost-brexit/) - Chris Grayling was sent to do Today this morning. It is the kind of gig they used to get Michael Fallon to do, but he was unavailable for obvious reasons (Fallon was better at it). It was to face questions about how the idea of the UK not paying the EU a divorce settlement ("go whistle")
- [Everyone seems to be taking the current situation with Ireland and the EU very lightly considering what is at stake](https://nicktyrone.com/everyone-seems-taking-current-situation-ireland-eu-lightly-considering-stake/) - Ireland has an effective veto on allowing the EU-UK trade talks to proceed further. The EU has given the UK 10 days (now eight, I suppose) to come up with a solution to the border problem or trade talks will be further stalled. Furthermore, the Irish want a real solution to the problem, not a
- [More guff being spoken about Ireland and Brexit: I'm almost broken by this](https://nicktyrone.com/guff-spoken-ireland-brexit-im-almost-broken/) - The latest round of rubbish regarding Brexit and its relationship with the island of Ireland comes from Arlene Foster, the leader of the DUP. Let's start with what she's said: “The Irish government are actually using the negotiations in Europe to put forward their views on what they believe the island of Ireland should look
- [The Ashes could go any which way: a whitewash by England or Australia both seem like possibilities](https://nicktyrone.com/ashes-go-way-whitewash-england-australia-seem-like-possibilities/) - Noted cricket commentator Jim Maxwell has described the England batting line-up, due to play in the first Ashes test in Brisbane in just under 11 hours time, as the "worst ever" to play in an Ashes Down Under series. He has a point: the top of England's order is fairly atrocious. Root has been the
- [Shouldn't "no deal" Brexiteers be celebrating the Irish obstructing the next round of negotiations?](https://nicktyrone.com/shouldnt-no-deal-brexiteers-celebrating-irish-obstructing-next-round-negotiations/) - The Irish government has made a bold and daring move. It has said that the next round of EU-UK talks cannot go forward unless the UK guarantees that under no circumstances will there be a hard border on the island of Ireland. In theory, this shouldn't be tricky given the UK government has assured everyone
- [The Sgt Pepper of the 80's: The Police's "Synchronicity" revisited](https://nicktyrone.com/sgt-pepper-80s-polices-synchronicity-revisited/) - I hadn't heard this album in a very long while before yesterday. In fact, I hadn't really listened to the Police in some time. But I had "Wrapped Around My Finger" pop into my head from nowhere and this gave me a hankering to revisit the album; to see if I would find it stood
- [The strangest thing about our age: most politicians are doing what they think the public wants, not what they think is right](https://nicktyrone.com/strangest-thing-age-politicians-think-public-wants-not-think-right/) - The vote to leave the European Union in June 2016 created a constitutional crisis in the United Kingdom; it looks like it will take years if not decades to sort out. The government of the day presented the public with a referendum, not on something they wanted to go ahead with but felt they needed
- [Why is the government so obsessed with getting the Repeal Bill passed this very second anyhow?](https://nicktyrone.com/government-obsessed-getting-repeal-bill-passed-second-anyhow/) - The pause on the Repeal Bill, a piece of legislation that will take the 1972 European Communities Act out of commission, has been lifted. The Committee Stage of the Bill roared to life yesterday and will continue for the next seventeen years (I exaggerate slightly). A host of twenty Tory MPs are threatening to rebel
- [Okay, I didn't like "La La Land". Like, at all. Here's why](https://nicktyrone.com/okay-i-didnt-like-la-la-land-like-heres/) - For a start, I know I'm somewhat late to this debate. However, I've only just seen "La La Land", and I didn't like it, in fact I found it crushingly dull, and I think I can explain why this is in terms that I haven't read elsewhere. There have been many people who have critiqued
- [Tory MPs cling to May as leader for fear of something worse. So should we all](https://nicktyrone.com/tory-mps-cling-may-leader-fear-something-worse/) - At the end of the summer, I reviewed whether or not Theresa May remaining as leader of the Conservative Party was the best thing for that particularly party. Now I feel the need to consider whether or not her continuing as prime minister is in the best interests of us all, paying particular attention to
- [The 350 million pound problem with referenda and its consequences](https://nicktyrone.com/350-million-pound-problem-referenda-consequences/) - Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS, is going to make a speech today alluding to the idea that the government should live up to its promise, one made during the referendum, of an extra 350 million pounds a week that is supposed to be spent on the National Health Service in the event of
- [Theresa May is hazy about when Brexit transition plans will be finalised, which is worrying](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-hazy-brexit-transition-plans-will-finalised-worrying/) - Theresa May made a speech this morning at the CBI conference which was centred on sexual harassment and Westminster. The Prime Minister sounded a lot more confident on this topic than on Brexit, which popped up in the questions afterwards. Asked when the public would get to know if the transitional deal with the EU
- [Theresa May should just release the Brexit impact studies - for these three reasons](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-just-release-brexit-impact-studies-many-reasons/) - The government has tried desperately to withhold publishing the Brexit impact studies, even from relevant parliamentarians such as the Exiting the European Union select committee. The answer they give as to why that is comes down to the idea that releasing them will negatively affect our negotiating position with the EU. It is hard for
- [Theresa May just missed a big chance - and it suggests she'll miss the next one, should it come along](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-just-missed-big-chance-suggests-shell-miss-next-one-come-along/) - The sexual harassment scandal currently engulfing Westminster is the very last thing Theresa May needed. Although it does not represent a threat to the government nor to Brexit to the extent many pundits are (rather over hopefully) predicting, it has placed the prime minister in a tricky position at a time when she already had
- [This is what my problem with the government spending half a billion preparing for Brexit is](https://nicktyrone.com/problem-government-spending-half-billion-preparing-brexit/) - On Twitter this morning, I mentioned that I had a problem with the government spending half a billion pounds (which is what Davis revealed yesterday in terms of what the government is planning to spend in preparation for Brexit) on a procedure that was supposed to give us £350 million a week back. I got
- [The problem with British politics? We no longer have either a Conservative or a Liberal party](https://nicktyrone.com/problem-british-politics-no-longer-either-conservative-liberal-party/) - 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
- [Brexit trumps everything: how the Right have begun to critique fiscal conservatism in earnest](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-trumps-everything-right-begun-critique-fiscal-conservatism-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](https://nicktyrone.com/everyday-present-tories-making-corbyn-seem-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](https://nicktyrone.com/no-deal-brexit-turns-disaster-tories-will-power-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](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-give-alastair-cambell-speech-reversing-brexit-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](https://nicktyrone.com/can-mps-actually-prevent-no-deal-brexit-i-think-chris-grayling-right-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"](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-really-bad-prime-minister-except-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](https://nicktyrone.com/latest-plan-post-brexit-britain-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"](https://nicktyrone.com/idea-progressive-alliance-bad-one-excerpt-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](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-needs-reshuffle-cabinet-extensively-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
- [Why 2017 Labour conference was a lot like the 2015 Tory conference](https://nicktyrone.com/2017-labour-conference-lot-like-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
- [Theresa May should sack Boris the moment Tory conference is over](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-sack-boris-moment-tory-conference/) - Writing the Telegraph article the week of the Florence speech should have been bad enough to earn Boris a sacking. The fact that he is continuing to cause problems for May tells us that he is almost certainly looking to get sacked. May should give him what he appears to want, and as soon as
- [The post in which I break down the basic problem now facing a "no deal" Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/post-i-break-basic-problem-now-faces-brexiteers/) - After May's Florence speech, some Brexiteers have become a little miffed. Not enough to actually do anything about it like, say, bringing down a lame duck prime minister and installing one of their own in Number 10, but you know, still a wee bit peeved as these things go. For those of you out there
- [Here's why centrism is in so much trouble right now](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-centrism-much-trouble-right-now/) - The Left have come up with a new phrase to shame centrists with: Centrist Dad. I have to admit, they nailed it this time. Having spent ages trying to tar centrists with "Blairite" or even "Tory", they have figured out what most centrists hate to be associated with - middle-aged timidity. The idea is that
- [Why don't the same standards apply to anti-semitism as to other forms of racism amongst the Left?](https://nicktyrone.com/dont-standards-apply-anti-semitism-forms-racism-amongst-left/) - A new rule around combatting anti-Semitism has been adopted by the Labour Party at their conference in Brighton. Good, glad to hear it. Except that surrounding it was a heated battle that hasn't abated within the party. On stage during the debate regarding the motion, several figures stood up any said the party was trying to
- [Why this year's Labour conference is so dull](https://nicktyrone.com/years-labour-conference-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
- [What I learned at the "Tory Glastonbury"](https://nicktyrone.com/i-learned-tory-glastonbury/) - Yesterday, I headed out of London on the M4 to rural Berkshire for George Freeman's "Big Tent Ideas", lazily referred to in the media as the "Tory Glastonbury". Several things to say about it: one, although the focus of the whole thing was undeniably reviving the fortunes of the Conservative Party, particularly amongst young people,
- [Labour's leadership rule change slips by with almost no fanfare](https://nicktyrone.com/labours-leadership-rule-change-slips-almost-no-fanfare/) - The battle over the "McDonnell amendment" ends not with a bang, or a punch up at conference or talk of potential splits, but with a profound whimper. The political press have barely even commented on a change waved through the newly shifted further to the left National Executive Committee taking the need for 15% of the
- [Is Switzerland now bad? Why I'm struggling to understand the Leaver argument these days](https://nicktyrone.com/switzerland-now-bad-jim-struggling-understand-leaver-argument-days/) - Despite being a Remainer, I am trying as hard as I can to understand the Leaver position, particularly as Brexit appears to be inevitable. I try and keep an open mind about it all as much as is humanly possible. But man, the Brexiteers are making it hard to keep this up at present. I
- [Theresa May has misplayed Boris and now this is how it is coming back to haunt her](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-misplayed-boris-now-coming-back-haunt/) - A quick recap for those who don't bother keeping up with this sort of thing any longer: Boris Johnson's long awaited thoughts on Brexit 2.0 were published in the Telegraph this weekend. Many wondered if he might be about to say Brexit was a bad idea in the first place, which seems naïve now. Of course, he
- [Why Donald Trump is shaping up to be such an existential mistake for the American Right](https://nicktyrone.com/donald-trump-shaping-existential-mistake-american-right/) - Let it not be forgotten just how long the Republican old guard held out in regards to accepting Trump as the GOP presidential candidate - until the day they absolutely had to. Once the inevitable had been accepted, they did the only logical thing left to them and embraced the previously disliked character as wholeheartedly
- [This is the biggest problem the Lib Dems face in terms of re-building: the Steven Tyler problem](https://nicktyrone.com/biggest-problem-lib-dems-face-terms-re-building-steven-tyler-problem/) - I have just written a book for Biteback entitled "Apocalypse Delated: Why the Left is Still in Trouble". If you're interested in the book, you can check it out here. There is a whole chapter in it on the Lib Dems and why I think they struggle to regain the levels of support seen pre-2010.
- [What I wish Tony Blair's institute had said about immigration instead](https://nicktyrone.com/i-wish-tony-blairs-institute-said-immigration-instead/) - Tony Blair's Institute for Global Change has issued a paper regarding immigration into Britain, particularly in relation to the UK's membership of the European Union. It is authored by Harvey Redgrave, a very good policy man who used to work in Ed Miliband's office during the coalition years. It is not without merit in some
- ["The Emoji Movie" isn't the worst film ever made - it's just ????](https://nicktyrone.com/emoji-movie-isnt-worst-film-ever-made-just-😒/) - After my five year old daughter insisted on seeing "The Emoji Movie" and I thus resigned myself to having to watch it, I went through a phase right before viewing in which I was perversely looking forward to it. Reading the reviews, it seemed like the film was one of the worst ever made in the
- [There is no "natural end" to the current Tory government - the Left should stop indugling in this fantasy](https://nicktyrone.com/no-natural-end-current-tory-government-left-stop-indugling-fantasy/) - One of the Corbynista strap lines is that we'll have a Labour government very soon as there is a "natural end" to the current Tory government. That is rubbish and here's why. First off, the Fixed Term Parliament Act changed more than people realised, at least from a constitutional perspective. It means that in extremis,
- [There is a perfect, horrible storm brewing in Northern Ireland](https://nicktyrone.com/perfect-horrible-storm-brewing-northern-ireland/) - The seeming collapse of the power sharing talks in Belfast would be scary enough on their own. The ability for the Unionists and Nationalists to work together in the devolved Assembly is one of the pillars upon which the peace we've had for the last couple of decades in the region rests. Yet if that were all Northern
- [It is understandable if you're worried about Brexit. But this is most likely how it will pan out](https://nicktyrone.com/understandable-youre-worried-brexit-likely-will-pan/) - The UK political press is filled these days either with reports about how badly the Brexit negotiations are going from a British perspective, or not terribly convincing assurances from the right of centre press that, in spite of appearances, the negotiations are actually going amazingly well. In regards to the latter: one of my favourite
- [The fates of both hard Brexit and May's premiership lie with one man - Jeremy Corbyn](https://nicktyrone.com/fates-hard-brexit-mays-premiership-lie-one-man-jeremy-corbyn/) - There is a lot of crap being said in Westminster at present. On Radio 4 today, someone, I don't who as I was only half-listening at the time, said that should Theresa May fail to get the Repeal Bill through, "Jeremy Corbyn automatically becomes prime minister". This is unbelievable drivel. Imagine for a moment that
- [Is Theresa May staying on as prime minister for the next two years a good or a bad thing for the Conservative Party?](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-staying-prime-minister-next-two-years-good-bad-thing-conservative-party/) - "I'm not a quitter" Theresa May has told the British press who have decamped to Japan to follow her tour in east Asia, when asked if she would be stepping down before the next election. "Yes" she answered when it was enquired of her whether or not she would remain Tory leader going into the
- [Everyone is massively overreacting to Labour's change in Brexit policy](https://nicktyrone.com/everyone-massively-overreacting-labours-change-brexit-policy/) - Over the weekend, Labour clarified its Brexit position. A little bit anyhow, which given how foggy it has been up until this point seems like a lot to most observers. Basically, Labour have said that during the transitional period, Britain should remain in the single market and the customs union. No further clarity on what
- [Not getting behind Gove as leader was the biggest mistake the Tory Right will ever make](https://nicktyrone.com/not-getting-behind-gove-leader-biggest-mistake-tory-right-will-ever-make/) - Many a pundit has asked: why have Brexiteers been so grumpy during a period when the country voted for what they had campaigned for decades to brig about, and during which we appear to be headed for Brexit without question? In other words, why have they been such sore winners? I think a big part of it
- [How Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn's approach to their parliamentary parties are the opposite of each other - and why that's key](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-jeremy-corbyns-approach-parliamentary-parties-opposite-thats-key/) - What undid Cameron's premiership wasn't the Brexit referendum; that was merely a symptom of the approach that he took that killed his political career. Which was that he was always too concerned with the whims of parliamentary party and bent over backwards to try and keep them onside. This was why he promised the In/Out
- [How the Left is stuck in the first stage of grief - and what that is doing to the Corbynist agenda](https://nicktyrone.com/left-stuck-first-stage-grief-corbynist-agenda/) - It is silly season at present, and therefore it is very telling what each of the major parties is putting forth as policy announcements. The Tories are releasing a whole bunch of policy papers regarding Brexit in the hopes that the dodgier bits of it will fly by most pundits and the public (this has
- [How it looks like the government is involved in a year long climbdown on hard Brexit - will it work?](https://nicktyrone.com/looks-like-government-involved-year-long-climbdown-hard-brexit-will-work/) - "UK offers climbdown on European courts deciding cross-border cases" reads a Guardian headline this morning. This is in response to a government paper released today that sets out the need for a smooth transition from what we have now as a member of the EU and what a post-Brexit judicial world will look like. This
- [The five worst Kiss lyrics](https://nicktyrone.com/five-worst-kiss-lyrics/) - Kiss, the rock band from New York that I find it hard to believe is still going, have been noted over their long tenure for many things: face paint, shagging copious groupies, breathing fire, explosions.....and really, really, really terrible lyrics. In fact, when I look back on Kiss, it is the lyrics that I find
- [Ireland and Brexit: the plot thickens](https://nicktyrone.com/ireland-brexit-plot-thickens/) - The government has published a paper about what it wants in regards to the "Irish question" in relation to Brexit, namely how to avoid a hard border between north and south Ireland that would bring with it numerous problems (not least of which would be the end of the current government via the DUP dropping
- [Why I don't think Jacob Rees-Mogg as the next Prime Minister is as far-fetched as it currently sounds](https://nicktyrone.com/i-dont-think-jacob-rees-mogg-next-prime-minister-far-fetched-currently-sounds/) - Moggmentum, those right-wing enough to be into that sort of thing call it. What started as a quasi-joke has taken on a life of its own. Seems there really are enough Tory activists out there in thrall to the Moggster. This is mostly still being treated as a very remote possibility by the right of centre
- [What the Hammond/Fox "no customs union post-Brexit" article actually means](https://nicktyrone.com/hammondfox-no-customs-union-post-brexit-article-actually-means/) - Over the weekend, Philip Hammond and Liam Fox co-authored an article in the Sunday Times that was meant to show cabinet unity on the subject of transition from being inside the EU to whatever being outside of it will supposedly be; what the three years, or however long it goes for, that will kick in after March
- [Could Brexit be stopped altogether? It would probably take a new party at the very least](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-stopped-altogether-probably-take-new-party-least/) - A feeling of anti-Brexit momentum is in the air. Perhaps it's just the silly season that accounts for it and such ideas will seem quaint come the autumn; perhaps the tide really is turning against the UK leaving the European Union. Yet for all of the James Chapman hits Twitter inspired hope stirring Remainers the truth is, Brexit
- [Why comparing Venezuela to Saudi Arabia doesn't get Corbyn off the hook](https://nicktyrone.com/comparing-venezuela-saudi-arabia-doesnt-get-corbyn-off-hook/) - Corbynistas have taken to social media to defend their hero in the face of a fairly relentless right-wing onslaught on the topic of the Labour leader's refusal to say a single bad thing about Maduro and his regime. When pushed by the press to condemn the Venezuelan leadership, Corbyn said: “What I condemn is the
- [There is going to be a pro-EU rally outside Tory conference this year. That's good news for all sorts of reasons](https://nicktyrone.com/going-pro-eu-rally-outside-tory-conference-year-thats-good-news-sorts-reasons/) - The Guardian informs me this morning that there will be a pro-EU protest outside of Conservative Party conference in Manchester this year. I will now tell you why this is good news - even for Eurosceptic Tories. The Conservatives hold their conference in Manchester every two years. I don't know why they do this - I
- [The freedom of movement quandry sums up Labour's Brexit headache](https://nicktyrone.com/freedom-movement-quandry-sums-labours-brexit-headache/) - Clive Lewis, David Lammy, along with trade unionists and Momentum members have written an open letter to Jeremy Corbyn, asking the Labour leader to accept continuing freedom of movement post-Brexit as the party's official position. Not, for clarity, that freedom of movement should be swallowed as part of a trade deal; but that freedom of
- [Why Corbyn probably won't condemn Maduro](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-probably-wont-condemn-maduro/) - Jeremy Corbyn has come under pressure from the media and his own MPs to say something negative about what is happening in Venezuela and to denounce Nicolas Madura. It is sad that one of the leaders of Britain's two major parties has to be cajoled into saying a failing dictatorship is bad news, but there
- [Why is everyone still pretending Theresa May has any real power?](https://nicktyrone.com/everyone-still-pretending-theresa-may-real-power/) - The Sun is not happy with Philip Hammond. Not one bit. For his intervention in telling the nation the obvious, namely that we'll need some sort of transitional deal after spring of 2019 in order to stave off crisis, he has been given a black mark. The most interesting aspect of the Sun article about
- [Remembering the final episode of "Seinfeld"](https://nicktyrone.com/remembering-final-episode-seinfeld/) - I was 17 when the 90s began; 27 when they ended. I remember the decade pretty clearly as a result. Looking back, if I was asked for the two defining pop cultural moments of that ten year stretch, I would nominate the death of Kurt Cobain on April 5, 1994 and the airing of the final episode
- [Is Brexit reality finally hitting in Northern Ireland?](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-reality-finally-hitting-northern-ireland/) - "DUP vows to block Dublin bid to make Irish Sea post-Brexit border with UK" shouted a Daily Telegraph headline yesterday, above a story about how the Irish government thinks a seamless border between north and south will be impossible - because it will be, and that has always been obvious to any objective viewer - and how
- [This is what we're in for over the next few years: Labour plays Brexit tennis](https://nicktyrone.com/next-years-labour-plays-brexit-tennis/) - After Corbyn said his bit about single market membership equalling being in the EU and then Gardiner going full on Peter Bone on everyone, then the Carwyn Jones led uproar that contradicted all of this perfectly, we've now had the counter-counter-attack. Or is it the counter-counter-bluff? I don't know, let's try and piece it all
- [Why this latest shift in the Brexit debate could have a profound effect on UK politics](https://nicktyrone.com/latest-shift-brexit-debate-profound-effect-uk-politics/) - Two things inspired this article. One, Corbyn and Barry Gardiner's suddenly fierce Euroscepticism being given a free voice (and the subsequent kickback from numerous figures within Labour as a result) and two, an article in the Spectator by Ed West entitled "I'm a Leaver who would be happy for a second referendum". They are perfect
- [Labour's position on Brexit is becoming extremely, unbearably tiresome](https://nicktyrone.com/labours-position-brexit-becoming-extremely-unbearably-tiresome/) - I've written a lot about this already, I realise. Yet the problem not only persists, it is getting much, much worse by the day. It is hard for me to rationalise how a lot of Labour supporters are rationalising this all themselves; harder still for me to understand how pro-EU Corbyn supporters manage to square
- [Why Guns N' Roses are the most overrated band in the history of popular music](https://nicktyrone.com/guns-n-roses-overrated-band-history-popular-music/) - The approaching 30th anniversary of Guns N' Roses 1987 album, "Appetite for Destruction", and the accompanying fanfare around this event, has pushed me to my limits. I don't think I have a larger media related pet peeve than the overhyping of the cultural relevance and musical significance of GN'R. I was a teenager in 1987; I remember
- [What I learned from "Love Island" last night](https://nicktyrone.com/i-learned-love-island-last-night/) - Before yesterday evening, I had never watched "Love Island" before. In fact, the only reason I really knew of its existence was through articles like "Why is Love Island so Tory?" in the New Statesman. But my wife's younger sister is in town, and she wanted to watch it last night, so there we all
- [Liam Fox on Radio 4: how Brexiteers have become like bad ex-boyfriends](https://nicktyrone.com/liam-fox-radio-4-brexiteers-become-like-bad-ex-boyfriends/) - Liam Fox was on Today today, talking the good talk about how leaving the EU will be a piece of cake, everything will be rosy, come what may. Interestingly, he would only say that the UK could "survive" a no-deal situation - so the whole thriving outside of everything has been dropped even by Dr Fox these
- [The fact is, this isn't a choice between May and Corbyn, and May must know that already](https://nicktyrone.com/fact-isnt-choice-may-corbyn-may-must-know-already/) - 'Tis summer reception season in Westminster; the time of year when magazines, newspapers and think tanks crack out the Prosecco and pray that most of the cabinet turns up. One of them this week saw the prime minister issue a stark warning to her colleagues: “No backbiting, no carping. The choice is me or Jeremy Corbyn -
- [The UK faces a constitutional crisis, any which way it turns](https://nicktyrone.com/uk-faces-constitutional-crisis-way-turns/) - The UK is in the midst of a constitutional crisis that isn't being talked about in its essence nearly enough. It landed upon us June 24th, 2016, once the result of the EU referendum was known, and has deepened since. The United Kingdom is governed through an unwritten constitution that had managed to avoid any
- [Examining the YouGov polls for clues on where we are leads me here](https://nicktyrone.com/examining-yougov-polls-clues-leads/) - The Independent have an article up about some YouGov numbers that will be taken as definitive proof by the Left that Jeremy Corbyn was the sole reason behind the unexpected Labour surge in the election. "Just 6 per cent of Labour voters backed the party because of their local MP" it's called, and it thankfully
- [I'm really starting to warm to Vince Cable and this is why](https://nicktyrone.com/im-really-starting-warm-vince-cable/) - Vince is in the news. Again. And I mean that in a good way: I had a go at him for the unfortunate Mein Kampf comment a little while back, but since then, he has nary put a foot wrong. There's an article in the Guardian from a couple of days back entitled, "Vince Cable:
- [There's only two logical ways to do Brexit. We aren't talking openly about either](https://nicktyrone.com/theres-two-logical-ways-brexit-arent-talking-openly-either/) - A new drama around Brexit is now playing out, post-election. A member of the cabinet says something fairly obvious like, we'll need to keep paying into the EU for a bit after we leave, or we'll be under ECJ jurisdiction for awhile, at the very least in the transitional phase, and then a bunch of
- [Is there an emerging anti-Sunni feeling on the Left?](https://nicktyrone.com/emerging-anti-sunni-feeling-left/) - For those of you who have never experienced them, I will tell you a little bit about "Putin bots" on Twitter. I have no idea who actually runs these accounts or how they are manned, but they are a group of tweeters that fly at you on Twitter if you've crossed the wrong account - particularly
- [How exactly can Brexit fail according to the belief system of the Eurosceptics?](https://nicktyrone.com/exactly-can-brexit-fail-according-belief-system-eurosceptics/) - Liam Fox, the current international trade secretary, has had a go at the BBC. This is not news - the Beeb is the go to bad guy for anyone on the hard-right and hard-left these days. In fact, your opinion of the BBC tells the world a lot about your politics at the moment: if
- [The latest thing to depress me about the Lib Dems is this](https://nicktyrone.com/latest-thing-depress-lib-dems/) - Vince Cable, the presumptive next leader of the Liberal Democrats, has given an interview to the New Statesman. As I have written before, I have held some hope in reserve for the possibilities of Vince's leadership. However, before he has even actually taken up the leadership, he has dropped a clanger, unfortunately. Asked about Theresa
- [Could THIS MAN be the next Tory leader?](https://nicktyrone.com/man-next-tory-leader/) - I am loathe to make predictions in this batshit era British politics is currently travelling through, so do not take what I am about to say as such. I have no idea who will follow Theresa May as Conservative Party leader, I really don't; I just think (and have had this confirmed by some in
- [The strangest thing about the general election is that it actually changed almost nothing](https://nicktyrone.com/strangest-thing-general-election-actually-changed-almost-nothing/) - The result of the snap election was so unexpected that for a few head spinning weeks afterwards, it seemed as if we might be entering some sort of new political era. Yet as the dust settles, what is surprising now is just how little has changed. The Tories, in practice, command a majority that is eerily similar to
- [How the general election result scuppered Corbyn's masterplan](https://nicktyrone.com/general-election-result-scuppered-corbyns-masterplan/) - One of the central narratives of the 2017 general election, as it starts to recede from view, is that while he didn't win, it was a victory of sorts for Jeremy Corbyn. Many had predicted the election would result in a meltdown for Labour, with the party shedding anywhere from 30 to 100 seats, symbolically
- [Why the so-called "death of centrism" is bad for everyone](https://nicktyrone.com/called-death-centrism-bad-everyone/) - Giles Fraser has written an article in the Guardian entitled, "Rejoice! Centrism in British politics is dead and big ideas are back", which stomps on the grave of centrism in the UK. In it he tells us: "Ever since the English civil war, the British have feared ideology as a reason that fellow countrymen would
- [This is probably what will happen in Syria in the next few years - and few in the West care at all](https://nicktyrone.com/probably-will-happen-syria-next-years-west-care/) - I saw an item on Channel 4 news last night that is depressing me still. It was about Syria and the latest attacks on ISIS, and it reminded me about where the conflict in Syria, I believe, is inevitably headed, and how depressing it is that very few people in the West seem to care.
- [This is what still gets me about the general election result](https://nicktyrone.com/still-gets-general-election-result/) - I have been writing less of late, blog-wise. There are several reasons for this, not the least of which has been the birth of my son this past week, but I have to admit there are more than simple pragmatic considerations standing in the way of my standard verbosity. It has to do with the general
- [Labour won't be able to play it both ways on Brexit forever](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-wont-able-play-ways-brexit-forever/) - Angela Rayner appeared on Channel 4 news this week, alongside Vince Cable and Ken Clarke. They were all supposed to be on there essentially as Team Remain, but the cracks began to appear very quickly in this façade. Partly due to differences of opinion on how to deal with austerity, but not surprisingly it had more to do
- [How long will Theresa May be prime minister for from here? Here's what I think](https://nicktyrone.com/long-will-theresa-may-prime-minister-heres-i-think/) - How long Theresa May will remain in Number 1o has become the million pound question in British politics. It is a genuinely perplexing one for which no one has the answer. I don't either, incidentally - but I think going over the possibilities is worth the time. One is that she stays on until spring/summer of
- [Should the Lib Dems try and do a deal with the Tories now?](https://nicktyrone.com/lib-dems-try-deal-tories-now/) - One of the big promises of the Lib Dems general election campaign was that there would be "no deals, no coalitions". However, now that Tim Farron has resigned as leader, it does leave room for the new leader of the party, whomever they may be, to reverse this decision. The outline of such a deal
- [If Corbyn doesn't take this one chance to unite the Labour Party, he'll come to regret it](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-doesnt-take-one-chance-unite-labour-party-hell-come-regret/) - For a brief moment a few days ago, it looked as if Corbyn understood the nature of the moment. He hinted that there could be a shadow cabinet reshuffle, with some of the big names currently languishing on the backbenches coming in from the cold. But just as quickly as that possibility flickered, it seems
- [Try as hard as I did all weekend, I still can't see how Thursday's result was good for the Lib Dems](https://nicktyrone.com/try-hard-i-weekend-i-still-cant-see-thursdays-result-good-lib-dems/) - Given the fact that the Lib Dem election campaign had failed to launch right from the start, and that many (myself included) were predicting electoral meltdown for the Liberal Democrats, a net gain of three seats could be viewed as a positive result for the party in context. However, I feel alienated from most Lib Dems'
- [This is what the election has taught me about democracy in general](https://nicktyrone.com/election-taught-democracy-general/) - The biggest thing I learned from the result of the general election was that the electorate have a much lower threshold for being taken for granted than I would have ever imagined. Theresa May spent the campaign going from one staged "rally" to another; airplane hangers or factories, stocked with Tory activists given pre-arranged lines
- [A hung parliament. Here's what I think happens next - and it's not great for Remainers](https://nicktyrone.com/hung-parliament-heres-i-think-happens-next-not-great-remainers/) - I need to start off by saying that I very badly got the election wrong in terms of what I predicted, being sure of a Tory landslide right up until the exit poll was released last night. So take everything I say for a while with a grain of salt as my finger is not
- [Final thoughts on the 2017 general election](https://nicktyrone.com/final-thoughts-2017-general-election/) - Here we are - at the end of what I've found to be a depressing and disheartening general election campaign. Part of this has been watching the Left suddenly psyche themselves up about the prospect of taking power, all off the back of opinion polls that only a few weeks back they were deriding as
- [The effect that multiple terror attacks have on a society: it becomes normalised more than we realise](https://nicktyrone.com/effect-multiple-terror-attacks-society-becomes-normalised-realise/) - After the Manchester bombing attack, political campaigning was suspended for several days. Each leader of the main political parties assiduously avoided trying to say anything political whatsoever in the aftermath of the attack. It was felt that any mention of anything that could be interpreted as electioneering would be extremely frowned upon and the politicians
- [The Lib Dems are being crushed under the wheels of this presidential style election](https://nicktyrone.com/lib-dems-crushed-wheels-presidential-style-election/) - There has been a lot of speculation as to why the Lib Dem campaign has failed to launch. I stick to my assertion that it got off to a good start, but I think it was always doomed for many reasons. One which I didn't expect to see arise has been the degree to which
- [The Left are falling for the exact same trick that they were calling out only a couple of weeks ago](https://nicktyrone.com/left-falling-exat-trick-calling-couple-weeks-ago/) - A meme that one saw all over Twitter a few weeks back, posted always by left-leaning folk, was a quote from that well-known leftie Peter Hitchens, saying the following about polling: "Opinion polls are a device for influencing public opinion, not a device for measuring it. Crack that, and it all makes sense." This was
- [Last night's BBC leadership debate reviewed - who won and who lost?](https://nicktyrone.com/last-nights-bbc-leadership-debate-reviewed-won-lost/) - I'll be brief here. Last night after the debate, I said that Amber Rudd came out the winner while Paul Nuttall was the loser. People on social media were outraged. What debate was I watching? Rudd won because by putting in a strong performance at a time when one was necessary (and up against a
- [If you stop and evaluate the polling numbers behind the topline figures, it's not good for Labour. At all](https://nicktyrone.com/stop-evaluate-polling-numbers-behind-topline-figures-not-good-labour/) - While we're all living through this "Labour bounce" period, it is worth reflecting on items such as this one in the Guardian yesterday under the title of "Guardian/ICM poll: Tories' 12-point lead offers Labour crumbs of hope". Because when you actually look at the psephology involved, it makes for dire predictions for everyone but the
- [It was Corbyn's night last night - but this is why I think it won't matter](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyns-night-last-night-i-think-wont-matter/) - Last night's Sky/Channel 4's leaders debate did not go down as I had expected beforehand. I thought May would be solid but slightly dull, focusing more on the "coalition of chaos" stuff and less on the "strong and stable" tranche of her campaign thus far for fear of sniggering. She was dull; I'll give her
- [Society has demonised politicans - and here's why that's so dangerous](https://nicktyrone.com/society-demonised-politicans-heres-thats-dangerous/) - Within a democracy, a healthy distrust of politicians is absolutely necessary. Those who wield power need to be held to account and the system doesn't work if the government is simply thought by the public to be doing the best job possible, regardless. However, I think we've gone too far on the spectrum the other way;
- [Why I now dread what Morrissey will have to say after every horrific event we encounter](https://nicktyrone.com/i-now-dread-morrissey-will-say-every-horrific-event-encounter/) - I suppose I should have been more prepared. A monumentally horrific terrorist attack occurs in the centre of Manchester, dozens of children murdered - it was very unlikely Morrissey wasn't going to have something stupid/offensive to say about it. He's become as reliable as Katie Hopkins in this regard. “In modern Britain everyone seems petrified to
- [How did doing as well as Ed Miliband become a yardstick for success?](https://nicktyrone.com/well-ed-miliband-become-yardstick-success/) - We live in strange times. Scandals that would have been once in a presidency type stuff rock the Oval Office every single day. Closer to home, Ed Miliband's performance in the 2015 general election, which let us remind ourselves involved the Labour Party losing 26 seats and handing the Tories a majority no one thought
- [Why the "leaders debate" last night was so depressing](https://nicktyrone.com/leaders-debate-last-night-depressing/) - I have a confession to make: I've only watched bits of last night's debate between Tim Farron, Nicola Sturgeon, Leanne Wood (aka Natalie), Caroline Lucas (apparently, also aka Natalie), and Paul Nuttall. It was simply too depressing to watch the whole thing all the way through. Remember a few years ago when everyone was talking about
- [Why the 2017 general election campaign is a bit like the EU referendum - and not in the way that you think](https://nicktyrone.com/2017-general-election-campaign-bit-like-eu-referendum-not-way-think/) - One of the reasons that I remain convinced that the general election will result in a landslide victory for the Tories - one greater than most pundits are currently predicting - is that on top of everything else going the Tories way, they are also the ones running what appears to be a very effective social media
- [Why the current Labour poll bounce is so good for Theresa May](https://nicktyrone.com/current-labour-poll-bounce-good-theresa-may/) - The Tories face but one hurdle on June 8th: complacency. That thousands upon thousands of people who would vote for the Conservatives could they be arsed to drag themselves to a polling station will figure why bother, May has it in the bag, there's no way that Corbyn can win. If you were Lynton Crosby,
- [This is the most anti-climactic general election ever, isn't it?](https://nicktyrone.com/anti-climactic-general-election-ever-isnt/) - Usually general elections carry with them some element of frisson. There's normally an X-factor at play that makes the campaign exciting - at least, if you're into that sort of thing. 2005 saw questions about how many seats the Lib Dems could take off the back of Iraq (answer: not nearly as many as most
- [Why the "Monsieur Zen" routine is causing long-term damage to the Labour brand (plus, why I'm so mean to Jeremy Corbyn)](https://nicktyrone.com/monsieur-zen-routine-causing-long-term-damange-labour-brand-plus-im-mean-jeremy-corbyn/) - I live in Camberwell, in what could be described as Camberwell-Peckham borders (in other words, when I'm applying for a bank account in live in Camberwell; when I want to seem edgy, I live in Peckham). It is, as most of you will know already, an incredibly diverse area, both ethnically and socio-economically. It is
- [How the Left ruined its most attractive feature, somewhere along the way](https://nicktyrone.com/left-ruined-attractive-feature-somewhere-along-way/) - The traditional wisdom about the left-right axis in western politics is that people feel that the Left's heart is in the right place, but that they often lack the competence to govern effectively; while the Right are grumpy bastards who may have impure intent, but at least they know how to keep things running properly.
- [How this American football match reminds me of Corbyn's Labour](https://nicktyrone.com/american-football-match-reminds-corbyns-labour/) - Drawing on American football annals for an analogy that works for British politics may seem a stretch for some of you, but stay with me here. In 1916, Georgia Tech faced a college from Tennessee called Cumberland in a football match that lives on in infamy. It will become clear why this is. Cumberland had
- [What Emmanuel Macron becoming president of France means for Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/emmanuel-macron-becoming-president-france-means-britain/) - In my book, "2017", I predicted a Le Pen victory yesterday. When I wrote it, Macron had not yet emerged as one of the main contenders. It is amazing for me to think just how much the new president's election win came from nowhere. Let's get the boring stuff out of the way: the idea
- [Ignore the hype: yesterday's result shows a massive Tory landslide is on its way come June 8th](https://nicktyrone.com/ignore-hype-yesterdays-result-shows-massive-tory-landslide-way-come-june-8th/) - I am far from someone who makes a habit of complaining about the machinations of the Murdoch press swaying elections. But yesterday, Sky News made a projection based on the local election results which have the Tories ending up with 349 seats and Labour 215. In other words, the Conservatives will supposedly take less than
- [What the local election results tell us so far](https://nicktyrone.com/local-election-results-tell-us-far/) - Even for someone like me who was expecting the locals to go very, very well for the Tories and very, very, very badly for Labour, the picture that is emerging exceeds even my expectations. As of this second, the Conservatives have gained 163 seats overall, Labour have lost 127 (!), the Lib Dems have lost
- [Everyone compares the current era to the 1930s. But it's more like the 1920s and here's how](https://nicktyrone.com/everyone-compares-current-era-1930s-like-1920s-heres/) - The 1920s are often thought of historically as the calm between two storms; the jazz era that was a brief flicker of stability between the First World War and the Great Depression. However, in Britain it was a very politically turbulent time, with three general elections being called in the space of two years. The
- [This is the critical element that will determine how well the Lib Dems do on June 8th](https://nicktyrone.com/critical-element-will-determine-well-lib-dems-june-8th/) - At this stage, I expected three things to be happening in regards to the general election campaigns and polling. One, we would see UKIP's polling numbers deflate and going to the Tories. Two, Labour's campaign would be a gaffe prone nightmare, seeing their numbers dip into the early twenties and possibly the teens. Three, a
- [Why the Left's strategy over the past few years is a bit like the Iraq invasion](https://nicktyrone.com/lefts-strategy-past-years-bit-like-iraq-invasion/) - The decision for the then Labour government to join the US in invading Iraq in 2003 is pivitol for the Left; it was the moment when New Labour joined the ranks of the scorned, the unforgivable. When "Blairite" became pejorative. That's why it's ironic that the way the "coalition of the willing" went wrong in
- [The "progressive alliance" is a real gift to Theresa May](https://nicktyrone.com/progressive-alliance-real-gift-theresa-may/) - Labour are now standing aside for the Greens in Brighton Pavillion having worked out almost certainly correctly that the Tories would have taken it otherwise. The Greens are in turn standing aside in - wait, where are the Greens standing aside for their progressive brethren again? I can't keep track. The "progressive alliance" idea is
- [The Labour election campaign has several problems. This may be the most crucial one](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-election-campaign-several-problems-may-crucial-one/) - Anyone who isn't part of the Church of Jeremy will conclude that the Labour general election campaign has got off to a bad start. The day the election was called by May, I did up a Labour election bingo card. Every single event I predicted then has already taken place, and parliament hasn't even been dissolved yet:
- [Why Zac running in Richmond Park is such a bonus for the Lib Dems](https://nicktyrone.com/zac-running-richmond-park-bonus-lib-dems/) - Zac Goldsmith has been selected as the Tory candidate for Richmond Park for the 2017 general election. I think if anyone other than Zac had run there, the Tories would have had a very good chance of retaking this seat. As it stands, I think the Lib Dems will hold it, just. The reason for
- [I really, really don't understand what Labour's policy on Brexit is](https://nicktyrone.com/i-really-really-dont-understand-labours-policy-brexit/) - Keir Starmer, the shadow secretary for leaving the EU, gave a speech yesterday that was meant to clear the air on what Labour's election policy on Brexit really, actually in fact is. Of course, it only led to more confusion. I work in public policy in Westminster. I work in public policy specifically on Brexit
- [If Nuttall doesn't stand in a seat at this election, UKIP should just disband quietly](https://nicktyrone.com/nuttall-doesnt-stand-seat-election-ukip-just-disband-quietly/) - It is fair to say that things have not gone well for UKIP so far in this nascent general election campaign. The pledge to medically check girls for FGM seems to have gone over rather less well than they had hoped, to put things mildly; polling suggests strongly that their vote is melting into the
- [I have to admit that the Lib Dems start to this election campaign has been very good. Here's exactly how](https://nicktyrone.com/admit-lib-dems-start-election-campaign-good-heres/) - Some have said - mostly Lib Dems - that I've been a bit harsh on the party Peter Bone likes to describe as the "yellow peril". That in the midst of #libdemfightback and the retaking of local seats, I've refused to be moved in regards to the rebirth of Lib Demery post-2015. The latest example
- [A tour around the Balkans - part two](https://nicktyrone.com/tour-around-balkans-part-two/) - I'm really, really glad I've been to Montenegro. For a start, it is a visually incredible place, the mountains against the sea even more stark than in neighbouring Croatia. On a personal level, my general anxiety level decreased massively over the four days I spent in the country. However, first impressions of the place were
- [A tour around the Balkans - part one](https://nicktyrone.com/tour-around-balkans-part-one/) - I spent my Easter break travelling around Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Hercegovina. What I learned from my tour around the Balkans I think is interesting enough to relate to you all, and I want to do it while the impressions are fresh. For a start Croatia and Montenegro, but particularly Croatia as it is already
- [After the general election, liberals will have to begin to think about post-Brexit Britain in earnest](https://nicktyrone.com/general-election-liberals-will-begin-think-post-brexit-britain-earnest/) - I wanted the country to vote Remain last year. I wrote about why I thought it would be a good idea at length. Alas, the country voted differently. This election gives the Lib Dems, a party campaigning on a second referendum (what amounts to an ability to block Brexit from occurring), a chance to gain
- [A lot of Labour voters in the north, Midlands and Wales won't vote Tory. They'll do this instead](https://nicktyrone.com/lot-labour-voters-north-midlands-wales-wont-vote-tory-theyll-instead/) - The debate rages on in Westminster: will we see a large victory for the Conservatives come June 8th, or a massive one? A lot of Tories are cautious and seem to feel it will be the former - which only makes me think the latter more likely given they won't be taking anything for granted.
- [Corbyn's one move from yesterday which demonstrates how bad June 8th will be for Labour](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-pushes-automatic-reselections-june-8th-labour-will-even-worse-will-already/) - Yesterday, I predicted mayhem for Labour, with the party looking to do worse than many pundits expect, ending up on between 100-120 seats overall. As if this prediction wasn't bad enough, it might turn out in the end to be too rosy. This is due to the fact that one of Corbyn's first thoughts after
- [Right, general election on June 8th, 2017. What's going to happen? Some predictions](https://nicktyrone.com/right-general-election-june-8th-2017-whats-going-happen-predictions/) - The moment some thought wouldn't happen has arrived: an early general election. I myself put the likelihood of this happening in 2017 at a mere 20% in my book, so I am as stunned as anyone. Unless somehow Labour whips a vote against (and Corbyn has already publicly said Labour will vote for it tomorrow)
- [Why this talk from Tories about Cornish flags on licences could lead somewhere unintended](https://nicktyrone.com/talk-tories-cornish-flags-licences-lead-somewhere-unintended/) - I know some of my readers will have been kept up nights of late worrying about the real problem of our age: what do we replace the EU flag with on UK driving licences once Brexit is complete? Of course, I could churlishly chime in here that we could just redesign the licences any way
- [I'm not a huge fan of Boris, but the latest criticism of him is just weird](https://nicktyrone.com/im-not-huge-fan-boris-latest-criticism-just-weird/) - Tim Farron came out in suppport of the US airstrikes inn Syria. Yet when Boris, the UK foreign secretary lest we forget, backed this up by walking away from talks with Lavrov, Farron said that Boris had made a mistake; even been played for a fool. I don't understand this position at all. Look, as
- [UKIP may be dying - but could a viable opposition party emerge to the right of the Tories?](https://nicktyrone.com/ukip-may-dying-viable-opposition-party-emerge-right-tories/) - Douglas Carswell wrote in the Guardian yesterday about a party of opposition emerging to take the place of Labour - one that would ideologically be positioned to the right of the Conservatives. Of course, this being Douglas, the whole thing sounds like another libertarian fantasy; that the Left will suddenly collectively think somehow that socialism
- [A week in the life of Labour demonstrates exactly why they're on course to lose hundreds of seats next month](https://nicktyrone.com/week-life-labour-demonstrates-exactly-theyre-course-lose-hundreds-seats-next-month/) - I spent most of yesterday in the town of Budva, on a beach that in high season hosts wealthy Russians but in April we had mostly to ourselves. From the view in Montenegro, the machinations of the Labour Party look even more ridiculous than they do from my usual ringside seat in Westminster. John McDonnell
- [The Left's need to side with Assad sees it reach new lows](https://nicktyrone.com/lefts-need-side-assad-sees-reach-new-lows/) - This isn't about whether you support America's airstrikes on Syria or not. I personally find the need to protest every time America does something militarily, yet turn a total blind eye to when Russia does the same hypocritical and morally questionable at the very least. But I do not wish to get hung up on
- [I don't understand why Mark Reckless is staying in politics](https://nicktyrone.com/dont-understand-mark-reckless-staying-politics/) - I recall vividly the first day of the 2014 Tory conference in Birmingham. As an aside, every Tory conference for the last 87 years has been in either Brum or Manchester. Anyhow, what was memorable about the first day of 2014 Tory conference was that Mark Reckless, until earlier that very morning a Conservative MP,
- [What the Island of Brac in Croatia taught me about EU regulation](https://nicktyrone.com/island-brac-croatia-taught-eu-regulation/) - Yesterday afternoon, my family and I took a trip to a beach called Zlatni Rat on the island of Brac. It's a Croatian island, an hour's ferry journey from Split. Anyhow, since we'd come one certain wway from where we're staying on the north side of the island to get to the beach, we figured
- [Spain saying they won't block an independent Scotland from joining the EU is monumental](https://nicktyrone.com/spain-saying-wont-block-independent-scotland-joining-eu-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
- [How will the Lib Dems do in the May local elections? And what does a good day for them look like?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-lib-dems-may-local-elections-good-day-look-like/) - On May 4th, the electorate go to the polls in 27 non-metropolitan county councils in England, 7 unitary councils in England, one metropolitan borough in England (Doncaster), while every local seat in Scotland and Wales will be contested. Given how many local seats the Lib Dems lost in the last parliament, combined with Lib Dem excitement around local
- [Why the leftie Brexiteers are so odd - and so at odds with themselves](https://nicktyrone.com/leftie-brexiteers-odd/) - Arthur Scargill, the old trade union boss, unexpectedly popped up in the news again yesterday. The reason being, he had given a pro-Brexit speech in which he said that leaving the EU would allow Britain to re-open the coal mines. “We were not allowed to subsidise pits under EU rules unless we were closing them
- [Why the Eurosceptics should oddly be an inspiration for progressives](https://nicktyrone.com/eurosceptics-oddly-inspiration-progressives/) - So today is the day. Article 50 and all that. We knew it was coming, and here it is. What I'd like to take time to talk about will seem odd to some of you. But here goes: what the Eurosceptics have achieved should inspire today's progressives in one particular way, which is this: regardless
- [Here's the saddest thing about Corbyn's leadership of Labour](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-saddest-thing-corbyns-leadership-labour/) - There are many things to lament in regards to Corbyn's stewardship of Labour. The destruction of the possibility that any party other than the Conservatives will be able to win a general election for the next generation, for instance, and all of the problems that brings (for the Conservatives as much as anyone else). But this
- [Len McCluskey is supposedly giving Corbyn 15 months to turn things around. So what happens in summer 2018 then?](https://nicktyrone.com/len-mccluskey-supposedly-giving-corbyn-15-months-turn-things-around-happens-summer-2018/) - Over the weekend Len McCluskey gave an interview on Pienaar in which he talked a lot about the importance of workers' rights being protected during and after the Brexit process, the need for stronger unions in order to battle coming mechanisation, how key it is to return Britain to full employment.....I'm kidding, of course, he actually complained
- [Keir Starmer sets out "tough new conditions" for Labour to back Brexit deal - please, give me a break](https://nicktyrone.com/keir-starmers-sets-tough-new/) - Easily the most annoying thing about Corbyn's time as Labour leader (and that is saying something) has been the moves to look like the party won't block Brexit for any reason while simultaneously vowing to be tough on May's Brexit plans. It has meant that nothing Labour has said or done since June 23rd of
- [What many pine for - a mythical past - cannot return, Brexit or not](https://nicktyrone.com/many-pine-mythical-past-cannot-return-brexit-not/) - Since June 23rd of last year, people have gone to town arguing for their version of why people who voted Leave did so. Some are sure it was all about immigration; at the other end of the spectrum, it was just a chance to give Cameron and Osborne a kicking. Of course, reality is more
- [Until centrism can unite around a single figure and/or force, it will continue to lose ground](https://nicktyrone.com/centrism-can-unite-around-single-figure-andor-force-will-continue-lose-ground/) - I chaired an event at Lib Dem spring conference in York last weekend. It was about 2017 and the challenges ahead. During the Q&A, one chap from the audience asked me "who is the main figure that centrists can unite around?" - the fact that even he, a Lib Dem activist, didn't think it was
- [Could Galloway win Manchester Gorton? Could the Lib Dems win it?](https://nicktyrone.com/galloway-win-manchester-gorton/) - Labour have finally picked their candidate for the Manchester Gorton by election, probably set to take place on May 4th alongside the local elections, but who the hell knows. Given they now have a candidate in place, I don't see why Labour wouldn't one, want it over with as soon as possible; two, on that
- [Mhari Black had a point about Scotland v London. But her statements' omissions were telling](https://nicktyrone.com/mhari-black-point-scotland-v-london-omission-made-make-sense-telling/) - Mhari Black has been facing a lot of flak on social media for the things she's being saying about Scotland in relation to London and the two places' relative political power. This tweet from her summarises her position to date: "Scotland has 59 MPs. London has 73. The second largest country in the UK can
- [Are chocolate companies "destroying Christianity"? I try and get the scoop](https://nicktyrone.com/chocolate-companies-destroying-christianity-try-get-scoop/) - In a world of so much ridiculous news, for instance when the leader of the Labour Party thinks it's a good idea after a fight with his own MPs to make a video in which he makes light of the incident, a piece of visual entertainment in which he also says that Labour MPs shouldn't
- [How the Momentum-Unite coalition could mean not only the end of Labour, but the end of the organised Left in Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/momentum-unite-coalition-mean-not-end-labour-end-organised-left-britain/) - Tom Watson was on the Today programme today, trying to walk his usual tightrope. The hard left had done something stupid, and Tom had to show he understood how bad it was without either going overboard and doing more damage to the Labour brand, or laying the blame at Jeremy Corbyn's door. He was on
- [The Dutch elections do not mean we're out of the wilderness yet. France could be very different](https://nicktyrone.com/dutch-elections-not-mean-wilderness-yet-france-different/) - In the wake of Geert Wilders relatively disappointing election showing this week, many pundits are quick to declare the populist wave over in Europe. They have extrapolated from the Dutch result that France will not become the domain of Marine Le Pen after the first week in May. I would advise a lot more caution
- [The real official opposition to May's government, in descending order](https://nicktyrone.com/real-official-opposition-mays-government-ascending-order/) - Preface: the Labour Party does not make this list, or indeed, even come close to doing so. At present, they do not constitute an opposition of any description. Yet politics abhors a vacuum, so other forces have inevitably filled the void, albeit not as well as a unified, real official opposition would do. The SNP
- [The Right is using the budget hiccup to lay Brexit's problems at May and her chancellor's doors alone](https://nicktyrone.com/right-using-budget-hiccups-lay-brexits-problems-mays-door-alone/) - The mostly commonly cited trope in Westminster these days goes along the lines of "Queen May". The prime minister is so in command of all she surveys that she is becoming infallible. This ignores the problems coming her way in regards to the Union, but unlike what some pundits are saying, I don't that even
- [My two pence about the #toryelectionfraud thing](https://nicktyrone.com/two-pence-toryelectionfraud-thing/) - For some time now, readers of mine on social media have overwhelmingly requested I write about one particular topic, that being the story around the Conservative Party having possibly overspent in certain places during the 2015 general election campaign. Today, I've relented and here is the result. Two things to say off the bat. One,
- [It's been a weirdly depressing week for both May and Corbyn already.....and for democracy admirers as well](https://nicktyrone.com/weirdly-depressing-week-may-corbyn-already-democracy-admirers-well/) - Yesterday should have been a triumphant one for Theresa May, given the Brexit Bill passed without a single amendment - but she bizarrely decided to give it a downbeat twist. Free to trigger Article 50 this week, she has decided to hold off until the end of the month for no clear reason. The only
- [Corbyn screws up in Scotland, big time.....yet again](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-screws-scotland-big-time/) - Remember back in those halcyon days of '15, when Jeremy Corbyn was being touted as the Labour leader who would bring Scotland back into the party's orbit; the guy who would vanquish the SNP, leaving Labour to gleefully take the Scots for granted again, once more able to use the seats as a convenient place to dump
- [If the Left wants to regain power, it needs to be a lot more honest with itself and others](https://nicktyrone.com/left-wants-regain-power-needs-lot-honest-others/) - Over the last almost seven years since Labour left government, there has been no shortage of figures from that party writing long theses on how the Left can turn itself around and gain the upper hand once again. The thing is, pretty much every single one of them rings totally hollow. And as much as they
- [How extreme Brexiteering weirdly feels a lot like Marxism in one particular way](https://nicktyrone.com/extreme-brexiteering-weirdly-feels-little-like-marxism-one-particular-way/) - There are people who voted to leave the European Union who are glad they did so but nervous about what's to come; there are others who seem to be getting in their excuses early lest Brexit be bumpier than they thought pre-June 23rd; there are other Leavers, like Michael Gove, who are so convinced that
- [The successful Tory backbench revolt over the budget demonstrates how terrible Corbyn is at opposition](https://nicktyrone.com/tory-backbench-revolt-ni-demonstrates-bad-corbyn-opposition/) - The backlash from within Conservative circles to this week's budget has really been quite a thing to witness. The right of centre press has been filled with "NI increase for self-employed means communism is here/entrepreneurs will starve/the 2015 manifesto has been torn to shreds," and has been coupled with Tory backbenchers assurances that they will
- [The budget is the clearest sign yet of how Tory hegemony is going to work](https://nicktyrone.com/budget-clearest-sign-yet-tory-hegemony-going-work/) - When Tony Blair was prime minister, he used what has infamously (and often pejoratively) become referred to as "triangulation". What it meant in practice was that Labour could ignore traditional bases of support such as the white northern working-classes, essentially take them for granted, because they "had nowhere else to go". All of the firepower was
- [Numbers that show Labour members are prepared to support Corbyn, even after he loses in 2020](https://nicktyrone.com/numbers-show-labour-members-prepared-support-corbyn-even-loses-2020/) - There is a YouGov poll of Labour members out this week that is very interesting. On the straight up approval rating, the support for Corbyn amongst them is clear cut: 72% approve, 17% disapprove. When you ask if they would vote for Corbyn in a third leadership contest involving him, the numbers get a lot
- [This fight between rival Unite factions highlights the problems of the modern Left perfectly](https://nicktyrone.com/fight-rival-unite-factions-highlights-problems-modern-left-perfectly/) - Yesterday, outside of Unite HQ near Holborn in London, supporters of Len McCluskey and Gerald Coyne had a physical confrontation with each other. I don't want to go overboard in describing this kerfuffle - it sounds like it was more handbags at midday than a riot - but it still acts as a beautiful illustration of
- [I think I finally get the Tory Brexiteer point of view](https://nicktyrone.com/think-finally-get-tory-brexiteer-point-view/) - For some time, I have listened to the words of many Brexit friendly Tory MPs and wondered precisely where they were coming from. Despite singing the praises of free trade and open markets, what the EU has achieved in this arena is always completely discarded by this group. Likewise, getting something similar in terms of
- [The death of rock and roll, part 1,368: The Donald, Foo Fighters first album, and exceeding expectations](https://nicktyrone.com/foo-fighters-first-album-moment-pop-culture-worth-holding-onto/) - On April 5, 1994, Kurt Cobain died. It was a really weird moment to live through if you were in the right age range group at the time - I was in the perfect place to experience this, at twenty-one, when it took place. There was a great deal of speculation at the time as
- [What would a US-UK free trade deal look like? A "2017" excerpt](https://nicktyrone.com/us-uk-free-trade-deal-look-like-2017-excerpt/) - The following is a small excerpt from my book, “2017”, available now in digital form and paperback. Is a free trade deal between the US and the UK a genuine possibility? The Tories better hope it is. Because from where we currently stand, I see only two ways out of Brexit not being a very
- [The 2020 general election will be about who can hoover up the ex-Labour vote - how well placed are the Lib Dems, really?](https://nicktyrone.com/2020-general-election-will-can-hoover-ex-labour-vote/) - One thing is pretty much certain: the Labour vote is going to go down and the Tory vote up from where they both were in the 2015 general election when the next GE comes around. It's a matter of how much, really. Labour could go down 5% nationally - or 10%, or even more. The
- [When Labour loses the next general election, will Corbyn stay on as leader or step down?](https://nicktyrone.com/loses-next-general-election-will-corbyn-stay-leader-step/) - I first thought about making the first word of the headline "if", but then figured why bother, let's get real here. I should also confess that the impetus for this article is a conversation I had this week with a friend of mine, Tim Barnes, who I should also by way of disclosure reveal is
- [The Left - or what is left of it (a "2017" excerpt)](https://nicktyrone.com/left-left-2017-excerpt/) - The following is a small excerpt from my book, “2017”, available now in digital form and paperback. How much is it the fault of the Left that the rise of the New Right has taken place? In some sense, it is entirely the fault of the Left. After the 2008 crash, the Left became bizarrely
- [This one Daily Telegraph article tells you everything you need to know about why UKIP never succeeded as a political party](https://nicktyrone.com/one-daily-telegraph-article-tells-everything-need-know-ukip-never-succeeded-political-party/) - There is a live debate around whether Stoke Central was UKIP's Waterloo or not. I have thrown my hat into the ring already, saying that I think it was; however, such a declaration was not made without a certain amount of nervousness on my part. UKIP have been written off by the cognoscenti many times
- [Which Labour MPs might throw in the towel next? I speculate](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-mps-might-throw-towel-next/) - A few months back, when Jamie Reed and Tristram Hunt both decided to stop being MPs around a similar time period, a rumour was afloat in Westminster that "dozens" of Labour members of parliament were lined up to quit politics should either Copeland or Stoke Central be lost. Since the first part of that has
- [Corbyn just screwed over Scottish Labour to add to the mix](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-just-screwed-scottish-labour-add-mix/) - I like Kezia Dugdale. I think she is trying her best in a bad situation - and getting less than no help. Anyone within Scottish Labour calling for her to go should look at the bench and see she is far and away the best option right now as leader. On that no help thing - I
- [How Brexit became everything - a "2017" except](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-became-everything-2017-except/) - The following is a small excerpt from my book, "2017", available now in digital form (https://amzn.to/2lXBAdp) and paperback (https://amzn.to/2kYXmhh). Why did Britain vote to leave the European Union on June 23rd, 2016, in a nutshell? Like any election victory of any kind, the Leave vote was a big tent of different interests who rallied together
- ["Road to Brexit" by Jeremy Corbyn - a review](https://nicktyrone.com/road-brexit-jeremy-corbyn-review/) - Yesterday, Jeremy Corbyn gave a speech in Westminster yesterday about, well, the road to Brexit. Coming on the same day that the loss of Copeland was announced, it took on an interesting texture. Introducing the event was Sergei Stanishev, a Bulgarian MEP who is the president of the Party of European Socialists. I think perhaps Labour
- [The four key lessons from Copeland and Stoke Central](https://nicktyrone.com/four-key-lessons-copeland-stoke-central/) - 1.Labour are really screwed. I mean, really screwed In a seat that had basically been Labour since 1924, Copeland was a major loss for Corbyn's crew, whatever certain quarters might tell you. Stoke Central was held in the end, but only due to Labour's vastly superior ground campaign. The Tories realised too late in the
- [Who will win in Copeland and Stoke Central? A final prediction](https://nicktyrone.com/will-win-copeland-stoke-central-final-prediction/) - Today's by-elections in Copeland and Stoke Central are - it is safe to say without the dreaded hyperbole - epoch defining. So what's going to happen? Here's where I nail my colours to the mast. To say I'm worried about this would be to devalue just how shaky I feel about these predictions: we really
- [Why aren't the Lib Dems doing better in the national polls? A possible answer](https://nicktyrone.com/arent-lib-dems-better-national-polls/) - How you emotionally respond to the question I've posed in the headline will have a lot to do with your politics. "Who cares?" might be one. "They're doing pretty well given the tuition fees fiasco" might be another. "Who cares about the national polls - look at all those local by-election wins!" will paint you
- [How the Milo Yiannopoulis paedophile scandal demonstrates how lost modern conservatism really is](https://nicktyrone.com/milo-yiannopoulis-paedophile-scandal-demonstrates-lost-modern-conservatism-really/) - Perhaps some of you don't follow the goings on of the American alt right as closely as I do, so allow me to explain the initial premise of this article: Milo Yiannopoulos, the (former?) darling of the movement known as the alt right, has got himself into a fair amount of hot water over comments
- [How what Corbyn is now doing is killing Labour.....forever](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-now-killing-labour-forever/) - Tory campaigners in Copeland are feeling very confident. Most of this comes from what they are hearing on the doorstep. "It's like nothing I've ever heard. You turn up to former Labour voters houses thinking you're going to have to make an anti-Corbyn case and they're way ahead of you. The dislike of Corbyn is
- [What's important to take away from the Trump "chaos" press conference](https://nicktyrone.com/whats-important-take-away-trump-chaos-press-conference/) - What's going to be so exhausting about the Trump presidency will be the sheer pace of it. My wife asked me yesterday late afternoon if I'd seen the Trump press conference madness. I thought she meant the crazy Netanyahu one, where Trump may or may not have shut the book on twenty years of diplomacy regarding
- [To those saying that Corbyn's future is on the line in Copeland and Stoke, have you learned nothing?](https://nicktyrone.com/saying-corbyns-future-line-copeland-stoke-learned-nothing/) - It is looking increasingly bad for Labour in the two by elections to be held on February 23rd, i.e. next Thursday. The Tories have a small but steady lead in Copeland, and barring a herculean ground campaign on the day, Labour are almost certain to lose. Corbyn and his inner circle seem to have all
- [2017 - where will all be at the end of it? Some predictions](https://nicktyrone.com/2017-will-end-predictions/) - For most of you reading this, 2016 was a terrible year. Perhaps there are some out there who believe the opposite is true: given Nigel Farage almost certainly figured 2016 was one of the best years ever ever, there must be at least a few of you in existence. Either way, now that 2016 has
- [The Right fools itself by thinking it doesn't engage in dystopia porn](https://nicktyrone.com/right-fools-thinking-doesnt-engage-dystopia-porn/) - This morning's Telegraph View column is entitled "Most Britons don't share Ken Loach's dystopian vision of his country". I agree. In fact, of all the failings of the British Left over the last decade, perhaps the largest is a consistent over-egging of how bad certain problems are, resulting in a "cry wolf" factor when a
- [The Left has a choice: go communitarian or go liberal. You can't do both](https://nicktyrone.com/communitarians-one-choice-go-native/) - There is a particular strain of thought on the Left that I find really irksome - for lack of a better word, let's call it "communitarian liberalism". It is essentially utopian in outlook because it avoids several aspects of hard reality. And if ever there was a time for the Left to put aside non-achievable
- [If Labour hold Stoke Central, it will be down to sheer luck](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-hold-stoke-central-will-sheer-luck/) - The Paul Nuttall campaign has demonstrated again why UKIP haven't been able to achieve breakthrough despite their popularity amongst certain portions of the population. They like to blame it on the First Past the Post system, which admittedly isn't a help to them, but that's cop out: UKIP are just really, really bad at campaigning. And
- [The British Left really, really need to stop parroting Trump](https://nicktyrone.com/british-left-really-really-need-stop-parroting-trump/) - I write about Jeremy Corbyn a lot, pretty much all of it negative in the extreme, so I get a lot heat on Twitter from his supporters. I want to be clear right off that I'm not complain about this fact - I have to be able to take as good as I give in this
- [Can we now lay to rest Corbyn's image as an "honest broker" once and for all?](https://nicktyrone.com/can-now-lay-rest-corbyns-image-honest-broker/) - When Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour Party, despite not liking his politics I thought it would be genuinely exciting to have a real maverick heading the opposition. I figured having someone who spoke their minds freely, a sort of Farage of the Left, would introduce an interesting dynamic into British politics. Not that
- ["Real fight starts now" - the words to be etched on Labour's tombstone](https://nicktyrone.com/real-fight-starts-now-words-etched-labours-tombstone/) - At least that's over. The Article 50 Bill has now passed through the House of Commons with a massive 300+ majority. It now goes to the House of Lords where, whatever happens, at least Jeremy Corbyn will not be intimately involved. I want to start by saying that I do not want the rest of
- [Review: a Tarantino double bill, "Hateful Eight" and "Deathproof"](https://nicktyrone.com/review-tarantino-double-bill-hateful-eight-deathproof/) - I still vividly recall seeing "Pulp Fiction" for the first time in the cinema. I was 21 years old and had walked in there with high expectations; I exited with my head spinning, thinking I'd seen one of the greatest movies of all time. I say this as a preface to make note of the fact that I
- [Another day, another terrible day for the Labour frontbench](https://nicktyrone.com/another-day-another-bad-day-labour-frontbench/) - This is getting old. Just once, I'd like to be able to say that the frontbench of Labour had done something well. Actually, I won't even set my standards that high - I'd settle for principled these days. But alack, you all know what I'm about to say. Sigh. I was in Portcullis House yesterday
- [Labour are now in the odd position of needing May to fabulously succeed - their future depends on it](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-now-odd-position-needing-may-fabulously-succeed-future-depends/) - During the 2010-2015 parliament, Ed Miliband's Labour was in the slightly uncomfortable position of wishing the Coalition's cuts bit hard enough to get people to reconsider their vote last time around; in other words, they had to hope that the people who usually support them were in line to suffer enough to repent. But political
- [Why any attempt by Labour to form a "progressive alliance" is doomed to failure](https://nicktyrone.com/attempt-labour-form-progressive-alliance-doomed-failure/) - News reaches us that the Labour Party are trying to come to some sort of arrangement with both the Lib Dems and the Greens in Stoke Central in an effort to keep Paul Nuttall out of parliament. This tells you that Labour really do think they will lose the seat to UKIP in a few
- [Given the makeup of parliament and the Labour leadership, I don't see the point in the EEA legal challenge](https://nicktyrone.com/gie/) - I have written on the topic of Labour and the Brexit proceedings a great deal lately, so I'll try and make this one brief. Even I'm getting sick of talking about it; yet given how important this is for what remains of progressive politics in this country, it is still vital to catalogue every detail.
- [Why is John McDonnell still pretending that Labour are fighting against a "reckless Brexit"?](https://nicktyrone.com/john-mcdonnell-still-pretending-labour-fighting-reckless-brexit/) - John McDonnell was on the Today programme this morning, discussing Labour's position on Brexit. Why he agreed to do this is unknown (Diane Abbott, showing her much greater political nous, steered clear of both the vote and the aftermath), but there he was, trying to make sense of Labour's position on Brexit. He, like everyone
- [Yesterday's second reading of the Article 50 bill was both sad and bizarre. How did we get here?](https://nicktyrone.com/yesterdays-second-reading-article-50-bill-confusing/) - If I were Gina Miller, I'd want my time and effort back. The courts ruled in favour of parliament having a say in the triggering of Article 50, only for parliament to give over one of the most tepid, passive sessions in its long history. It were as if the House of Commons was having
- [Brexit and Trump are becoming synonymous for a lot of people. That's really bad news for Labour](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-trump-becoming-synonomous-lot-people-thats-really-bad-news-labour/) - The other day Nadhim Zahawi, the Iraq-born Tory MP for Stratford-Upon-Avon, tweeted about his sadness surrounding the Trump Ban and how it would (we assumed at the time) personally affect him. I retweeted Nadhim and was surprised at how many people came back with something along the lines of "That's what you get for supporting Brexit", directed
- [May's trip to America demonstrates the one-sided nature of the "special relationship"](https://nicktyrone.com/mays-trip-america-demonstrates-one-sided-nature-special-relationship/) - I'll preface this piece by saying that I believe that, even if we weren't leaving the EU, maintaining the strongest relationship available with America is vital. I also believe that for all the innumerable faults that US foreign policy has had over the years, having an America that is engaged in the world as opposed
- [Donald Trump and the radical leftist side of the new president](https://nicktyrone.com/donald-trump-radical-leftist/) - The Left, across the whole world, hates Donald Trump. I'm really, really not a fan of the man myself, but it interests me to figure out how the reasons I don't like him and think he'll be a terrible president differ from those held by leftists. I think what I have in common with the
- [Are the Tories softening on UKIP? What the Stoke by-election might tell us on that](https://nicktyrone.com/tories-softening-ukip-stoke-election-might-tell-us/) - UKIP kept David Cameron up at night, or so we were often told back in those heady days. It was the threat of the purple people eaters taking Tory seats on account of the EU issue that convinced Cameron to make the mistake that eventually brought down his premiership, namely his speech in January 2013 promising
- [Labour is walking into its own death sentence with its handling of the Article 50 bill](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-walking-death-sentence-handling-article-50-bill/) - I wasn't surprised when Corbyn said he will three-line whip his MPs to vote for May's brief Article 50 bill; we all knew that was coming. However, even I didn't think Corbyn would just roll over on the timetable, which must still be causing giggles in the government whips office. I can just imagine the discussions
- [May's visit to America reminds us of the pathetic sycophancy Britain always demonstrates towards the US](https://nicktyrone.com/mays-visit-america-reminds-us-nauseating-sycophancy-britain-demonstrates-towards-us/) - Before we go any further, I am not someone who bemoans America's role in world affairs. In fact, one of the things I fear about Trump's presidency is what it will do to the global order in terms of the US retreating from the role it has played since the end of the Second World
- [I hate to keep harping on about this, but what is Labour's position on Article 50 exactly?](https://nicktyrone.com/hate-keep-harping-labours-position-article-50-exactly/) - Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry had this to say about Labour's approach to Article 50 being triggered by parliament: "Article 50, if it is going to be triggered, we will not get in the way of it, but we will try and amend the legislation in order to ensure that they keep coming back, that
- [Why the ICM 26% referendum poll should actually be really worrying for Remainers](https://nicktyrone.com/icm-26-referendum-poll-actually-really-worrying-remainers/) - It's official: the Supreme Court has ruled that parliament must vote on the triggering of Article 50. May can either accept this ruling or, surreally, appeal to the European Court of Justice. I would love it if she did the latter, but it's very unlikely. In the run up to the decision, which emerged as
- [The meeting of the far-right in Koblenz deserved much more attention than it received](https://nicktyrone.com/meeting-far-right-koblenz-deserved-much-attention-received/) - Amidst Trump's inauguration, it may have escaped some of your attentions that there was a meeting of far-right European leaders, hosted by Alternative fur Deutschland in the Rhineland city of Korblenz. Geert Wilders, Marine Le Pen, the whole far-right gang were there at a conference, open to all the public. They gave speeches and posed
- [Can anyone tell me what the hell Keir Starmer is doing at the moment?](https://nicktyrone.com/can-anyone-tell-keir-starmer-moment/) - I hate harping on the guy, I really do. Unlike when I point out when Jeremy Corbyn has done something daft, I really don't enjoy it when I have to take the member of parliament for Holborn and St Pancras to task for a silly move. But Starmer leaves me no choice this week. After Farron
- [Here's why Trump hates the EU](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-trump-hates-eu/) - Inauguration day, here we are. Today, Donald Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States of America. A lot has been written about Trump breaking from conventional American foreign policy in numerous ways, not least of which in terms of volume having to do with how instead of seeing the European Union as the best guarantor
- [More PMQ awfulness from Corbyn - and what a time to do so](https://nicktyrone.com/pmq-awfulness-corbyn-time/) - First of all, I can barely watch PMQs any longer, so depressing is it as a spectacle. It feels as if you could be watching the final days of Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the western Roman Empire - far from May and Corbyn making me think that a new dawn for Britain is just
- [This may be the weirdest thing said in the House of Commons - and weirdest move by the Labour Party - ever](https://nicktyrone.com/may-wierdest-press-release-weirdest-move-labour-party-ever/) - Sorry to write about what is essentially the exact same topic two days in a row, but two factors play into me doing this. One, I'm in Italy this week, interviewing people for several projects I have on the go, thus I'm away from Westminster at present and two, the totally bizarre statement given by
- [Here's what Theresa May's speech tells us about Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-theresa-mays-speech-tells-us-brexit/) - The long awaited speech, laying out Theresa May's plan for Brexit, has finally reached us. She will describe her twelve negotiating objectives for leaving the EU (which hasn't been trailed to the press, so we all need to wait and see on that one) at 11:45 this morning. There is enough vagueness in it that single market
- [Philip Hammond's interesting comments to a German newspaper - and what it hints at for Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/philip/) - The chancellor of the exchequer has been supposedly one of the more single market friendly members of the cabinet, which makes his comments to the German newspaper, Welt am Sonntag, this morning all the more interesting. He said that if the UK floated out of the single market it could abandon social democracy. Or as Phil put
- [The current Unite leadership contest lays all of the problems of the British Left out bare](https://nicktyrone.com/current-unite-leadership-contest-lays-problems-british-left-bare/) - Besides letting us all have a chuckle at Len McCluskey considering his re-election something of a formality only to find his position far from assured, the campaign around who will be general secretary of Unite the Union tells us pretty much everything one might wish to know about the travails of the modern Left in Britain. Michael Chessum, the
- [More great news for Corbyn: another by-election to face in the north](https://nicktyrone.com/great-news-corbyn-another-election-face/) - Man, when it rains it really pours, doesn't it? Tristram Hunt has now resigned as MP for Stoke Central to take up the post of V&A Museum director. That means, you guessed it, another by-election in which Labour will have to defend a seat in a which Leave won in June by a thumping margin
- [Apparently the Copeland by-election won't happen until May. Here's what that tells us](https://nicktyrone.com/apparently-copeland-election-wont-happen-may-joke/) - The Copeland by-election, triggered by the resignation of sitting Labour MP Jamie Reed, does not yet have a date. Many have speculated as to when it might be. It now appears the answer is becoming clearer. Andrew Gwynne, the MP who has been handed the task of defending Copeland by Corbyn, has this to say
- [ALDE turning down the Five Star Movement is an epoch defining act of stupidity for European liberalism](https://nicktyrone.com/alde-voting-turn-five-star-movement-epoch-defining-act-stupidity-european-liberalism/) - For those of you who haven't followed the story, the Five Star Movement, Beppe Grillo's insurgent political force that looks to possibly even form the next Italian government if the Italian establishment doesn't stitch up a voting system to stop them from doing so, decided to leave their grouping in the European Parliament and join
- [Jeremy Corbyn just burned his one last shred of integrity](https://nicktyrone.com/jeremy-corbyn-just-burned-one-last-shred-integrity/) - When Corbyn got elected as Labour leader in September 2015, I thought at the very least we'd get to see what opposition unhinged and unsullied by compromise would look like. I knew I would probably disagree with a lot of Corbyn's policies, but I did have to admit that watching someone say previously unsayable things from
- [Theresa May should just fully admit that she plans to leave the single market](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-just-fully-admit-plans-leave-single-market/) - There is much buzz in Westminster today surrounding Theresa May's interview with Sophy Ridge. Many of the more Eurosceptic news outlets reported that the prime minister had ruled out Britain remaining in the single market; others got a different impression. Let's go to the transcript of what Theresa May actually said: "Anybody who looks at this
- [I wish the Left were consistent on the subject of imperialism](https://nicktyrone.com/wish-left-consistent-subject-imperialism/) - There are many things about the modern day Left that irritate me. But one of the biggest ones concerns imperialism. You can boil it down to a simple equation: British and American imperialism is one of the worst sins imaginable; anyone else outside of the West engaging in the same practice is at best not
- [John Kerry confirms what we already thought we knew about Syria and 2013](https://nicktyrone.com/john-kerry-confirms-already-thought-knew-syria-2013/) - John Kerry, seeing out his last few days as Secretary of State, has discussed 2013 and the red line that never was regarding Syria rather candidly. “The president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, did decide to use force and he announced his decision publicly and he said we’re going to act, we’re going
- [I think this is what Brexit might look like](https://nicktyrone.com/think-brexit-might-look-like/) - In the wake of the latest shakeup involving who will be the UK's EU ambassador going into the Article 50 negotiations, people have wondered anew about whether or not the government has a detailed plan regarding Brexit or not. Are they simply winging it, or is there something they'd rather not discuss? For what it's
- [Is the Fabians report on Labour's fate right?](https://nicktyrone.com/fabians-report-labours-right/) - The Fabian Society has released a report entitled "How Labour is too weak to win, and too strong to die" which outlines in gruesome detail the situation the Labour Party currently finds itself in (it is well worth reading the whole report, which can be found here). The title summarises the paper perfectly - that Labour
- [Labour is playing a dangerous game on immigration](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-playing-dangerous-game-immigration/) - The "I" word has caused the Labour Party no end of problems in the past few years. Remember the "immigration mug" before the 2015 general election and all of the furore that caused on the Left? It has got worse since. A lot worse. Immediately following the vote to leave the European Union, many members
- [How am I doing so far? Reviewing my premiership predictions midway (and the dangers of making predictions these days)](https://nicktyrone.com/far-reviewing-premiership-predictions-midway-dangers-making-predictions-days/) - Back in August, in those carefree days before we knew America could elect Trump, I had a stab at how the premiership football season ahead would pan out. Given Leicester City had won the previous year after starting the season 5000/1 to do so, this seemed a brave thing for anyone to do. I was
- [Here's my predictions for 2017](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-predictions-2017/) - Making any predictions for an upcoming year has become a perilous exercise recently. One only has to look at the Tory majority the experts (who people are now sick of as a result, apparently) said was less likely than an asteroid striking the Earth that did indeed take place, or the double punch of Brexit
- [How's the start of Corbyn's "populist relaunch" going? Oh right](https://nicktyrone.com/hows-start-corbyns-populist-relaunch-going-oh-right/) - As phase one of Corbyn Mark 2.0, the Labour leader has given a series of interviews and filmed his New Year message. From this we can glean what the "populist re-launch" will look like. All I can say so far is: oh dear. Let's see what the supreme leader has told the Mirror: “I will challenge UKIP
- [Does Corbyn have a point about May's "Tudor tendencies"?](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-point-mays-tudor-tendencies/) - In an interview with The Guardian, Jeremy Corbyn (shocked to see him interacting with the right-wing press) had a go at Theresa May for being like Henry VIII in her desire to keep the triggering of Article 50 from parliament, instead citing royal prerogative as the means to do this. In layman's terms, being a
- [Here's what's wrong with the Tory voter ID plans](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-whats-wrong-tory-voter-id-bill/) - Portions of the Left are up in arms about a trial the Tories plan to roll out at the next local elections during which British voters will be asked to present identification if they wish to vote. Or more to the point, people in certain parts of the country will be momentarily disenfranchised should they
- [The Left has reached the bargaining stage in regards to the events of 2016](https://nicktyrone.com/left-reached-bargaining-stage-regards-events-2016/) - For progressives, whether they be of the liberal centre or the hard left, 2016 was a traumatic year in so many ways. Brexit and Trump are but the most obvious signifiers in this psychological landscape; there are all sorts of ways in which this past year has damaged the collective psyche of the left of
- [Will the Berlin-Milan episode kill Schengen?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-berlin-milan-episode-kill-schengen/) - Anis Amri, the man who had driven a lorry through a crowded Berlin market on Monday, killing twelve people and injuring scores more, was shot dead by Italian police in Milan after an altercation yesterday. There are many unpleasant elements of this week's continental episode, but one that might have a lasting effect involves the
- [What Jamie Reed quitting the PLP means](https://nicktyrone.com/jamie-reed-quitting-plp-means-next/) - Jamie Reed, Labour MP for Copeland, has decided he doesn't want to be a member of parliament any longer. This will trigger a by-election that it would be drastically understating the facts to call tricky for the Labour Party, to take place early in 2017. To say this is exactly what they did not need
- [Both the Left and the Right are wrong about free trade v free movement](https://nicktyrone.com/left-right-wrong-free-trade-v-free-movement/) - The opening of the contest to see who will be the next Unite general secretary has led to an interesting look at the current state of the Left. It seems the idea that freedom of movement is kosher while freedom of capital is bad extends way beyond Corbyn and his inner circle. This problem here is that this
- [Why 2017 could be even worse than 2016](https://nicktyrone.com/2017-even-worse-2016/) - Now is that portion of every year when people begin writing epitaphs for the twelve-month period that is just about to elapse as well offering predictions for what is directly ahead. Given what transpired in 2016, from Brexit to Trump to everyone with talent seemingly dying, pundits are quicker to see the back of this
- [Why Theresa May is indeed no Margaret Thatcher](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-indeed-no-margaret-thatcher/) - David Mellor, the former Tory minister of many various portfolios under both Thatcher and Major, was on Murnaghan this weekend, talking about Theresa May and the various comparisons to Thatcher she is always receiving: "When I was a minister for four years she treated me with even more disrespect than my mother did, but Margaret
- [A Charlie Brown Christmas 2: Nativity in Blood](https://nicktyrone.com/charlie-brown-christmas-2-nativity-blood/) - For anyone who had a North American childhood, this time of year calls up memories of the many television specials that dotted the landscape annually. There was “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, a wonderful twenty-minute cartoon in which Boris Karloff voiced a green goblin Scrooge-like creature. This was unfortunately partially ruined by a DNA-changingly awful
- [Trump's election highlighted what some have known for years - that America has a class system](https://nicktyrone.com/trumps-election-highlighted-many-know-years-america-class-system/) - I can't recall the number of conversations I've had over the years, usually semi-drunken ones, regarding whether or not America has a class system or not. Many Americans and non-Americans, left-wingers and right-wingers, have insisted during such arguments that America does not have a class system at all, and to think otherwise is to misunderstand
- [What will this "populist" version of Jeremy Corbyn look like then?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-populist-version-jeremy-corbyn-look-like/) - The Labour Party have announced that in the new year, there will be a Jeremy Corbyn "re-launch", one positing him as a "left-wing populist". The first thing to say is that, ironic given the content, this story is so achingly Corbyn era Labour in its design it hurts: telling the Guardian you'll be doing something
- [Have you heard the Labour MP's Christmas song? It's way worse than you think](https://nicktyrone.com/heard-labour-mp-christmas-song-way-worse-think/) - Last night, someone asked me if I'd heard the Labour Christmas record. "You mean "JC for PM for Me?" I asked. "No, the one Jarvis, Rayner and McDonagh have done about workers rights." "Oh my God no! I must hear this immediately." "It's way worse than you think." "Worse than "JC for PM for Me"?"
- [We can see now that the vote in 2013 was one of the most shameful episodes in the history of British foreign policy](https://nicktyrone.com/george-osborne-right-syria-vote-2013-one-shameful-episodes-history-british-foreign-policy/) - Yesterday, the House of Commons hosted an emergency debate on Syria. I wasn't sure whether to feel good about this or bitter about it. I could feel good in the sense that at least parliament could see that what is happening in Aleppo at present is horrific enough to warrant such a thing; bitter in
- [The showdown over single market membership could be immense - or not...](https://nicktyrone.com/showdown-single-market-membership-immense-not/) - As I've said before, trying to make sense of Labour's position on Brexit has been all but impossible. Now there's a new twist. Both the Tories and Labour are claiming victory in regards to last week's vote in the Commons regarding leaving the EU: the Tories say that the prime minister managed to extract a
- [Labour's reaction to the two by-elections tells its own tale](https://nicktyrone.com/labours-reaction-two-elections-tells-tale/) - Following on from the Sleaford by-election, in which Labour came fourth, Labour MP for Croydon North Steve Reed said: “Labour risks becoming the party of the 0% if we manage to upset both Remainers and Leavers by equivocating our position.” It was a pithy statement I think will be remembered for years to come. For
- [What does the Sleaford North Hykeham by-election result actually mean?](https://nicktyrone.com/sleaford-north-hykeham-election/) - Another week, another by-election - this time in Lincolnshire, where a former sitting Tory MP, Stephen Phillips, had resigned over the government's handling of Brexit. As soon as it was called, UKIP bigged it up as a potential by-election victory; that it would demonstrate that they have what it takes to upset the apple cart, much like what happened
- [This is what Labour's Brexit strategy should be, plain and simple](https://nicktyrone.com/labours-brexit-strategy-plain-simple/) - Over the last few months, I've had many conversations in Westminster around how appalling Labour's handling of the Brexit debate has been. Many respond to my exhortations about Corbyn's incompetence in this area by saying "what else could he have done?", as if everything that has taken place since June 24th has been part of an unstoppable force
- [Why it's inevitable that Momentum will eventually split - and what may happen afterwards](https://nicktyrone.com/inevitable-momentum-will-eventually-split-least-split-labour/) - It was the big story for anyone who attended this year's Labour conference in Liverpool: the energy at the Momentum World Transformed thing versus the feeling of death warmed over at Labour conference itself. Another narrative around this emerged, post-conference: how long until Momentum itself splits, taking down the Labour Party with it? After all,
- [What next for the EU now that Renzi's referendum has failed?](https://nicktyrone.com/next-eu-now-renzis-referendum-failed/) - It wasn't even remotely close. In yesterday's nationwide Italian referendum, voters there rejected prime minister Renzi's sweeping reforms to the constitution, 59-41. Or I should say, ex-Italian prime minister: Renzi, as expected, has resigned this morning. Also as expected, every public Eurosceptic in Britain is in full victory mode. Roger Helmer's tweet summarises the message
- [How Theresa May could be walking into a trap partly of her own making](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-walking-trap-partly-making/) - There has been a lot of speculation as to why Theresa May, upon becoming the prime minister, appointed the "Three Brexiteers" to their respective cabinet positions: Boris in the FCO, David Davis as head of the newly found Department for Leaving the European Union, and Liam Fox as Secretary of State for International Trade. Was
- [Why UKIP's Article 50 position is genius - and what it means to Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/ukips-article-50-position-genius-means-brexit/) - Many, myself and Frank Field included, have said that Paul Nuttall could be a game changer for UKIP. The new leader has certainly wasted no time in getting stuck in, appointing Gerald Batten as UKIP's Brexit spokesman. And between Nuttall and Batten, a policy of genius has already emerged. It's so perfect, I want to
- [Holy crap - the Lib Dems did it. Lessons from Richmond Park](https://nicktyrone.com/holy-crap-lib-dems-richmond-now/) - At last, a 2016 election result that does not make me despair. I am unequivocally overjoyed that the Lib Dems won Richmond Park. Top of the reasons why this makes me happy comes down to being glad that Zac Goldsmith lost. Not really because of his dreadful mayoral campaign so much as the fact that the whole
- [Boris Johnson’s “Free Movement-Gate” demonstrates how difficult EU negotiations will really be](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnsons-free-movement-gate-demonstrates-difficult-eu-negotiations-will/) - Four ambassadors from different EU countries have spoken to Sky News under the guise of Chatham House rules (which means the quotes can be made public but not directly attributed) saying that each of them has had separate conversations with Boris Johnson in which he has said that he personally supports the principle of freedom
- [The five worst Christmas movies ever made](https://nicktyrone.com/the-five-worst-christmas-movies-ever-made/) - 'Tis the season and all that, so I thought I would try and catalogue the five worst attempts by the motion picture industry to capture the magic. If this comes across as a little Scrooge-esque - why not the five best Christmas films then? - I will answer back that there is no fun in
- [The latest ICM poll is beyond apocalyptic for Labour - here's what that means](https://nicktyrone.com/latest-icm-poll-beyond-apocolyptic-labour/) - Everyone is pooing on polls these days, saying they are all terribly wrong so why should we listen to them. Only they aren't really all that incorrect when you examine them closely. On Brexit, the telephone polls got it pretty close to bang on, while in America they said Clinton would be ahead in the
- [What Paul Nuttall becoming UKIP leader might mean](https://nicktyrone.com/paul-nuttall-becoming-ukip-leader-might-mean/) - Back in July, when the post-Brexit world was still fresh and new, I said that a Paul Nuttall led UKIP could become a terrifyingly large force in British politics. What UKIP has done since then has shocked everyone watching, not least myself. I don't need to go through all of the items again - fist
- [If Fillon is the candidate in the run-off, will Marine Le Pen still win in May?](https://nicktyrone.com/fillon-candidate-will-marine-le-pen-still-win-april/) - Sarkozy and Juppé have pulled a "2010" - they both used praise of the third, assumed to be out of the race candidate in an attempt to pull votes from that person's camp, only to find that they had created a genuine rival for the big prize. But unlike in 2010, when Nick Clegg's Lib
- [Trump is right that Castro was a dictator - but not about what to do about Cuba now](https://nicktyrone.com/trump-right-castro-dictator-not-cuba-now/) - Donald Trump, the US president-elect, was unequivocal about Fidel Castro in a statement yesterday. "The world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights." I hate to agree
- [What Tony Blair's reappearance in British politics signifies](https://nicktyrone.com/tony-blairs-reappearance-british-politics-signifies/) - This week, Tony Blair has done a round of press, announcing that he wants to re-enter British politics. Sort of. Not frontline politics, for as he says, "there are elements of the media who would literally move to destroy mode if I tried to do that". While he has a point about the media, that
- [Here's the line that Labour should have taken on yesterday's Autumn Statement](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-line-labour-taken-yesterdays-autumn-statement/) - The response of John McDonnell, and in fact the response of Labour as a whole, to Hammond Autumn Statement yesterday did not work as I can only assume was intended. That isn't newsworthy in and of itself - this is the new way of things. Labour are ineffective, hey ho. But what is sad is
- [Donald Trump's New York Times interview, dissected fully](https://nicktyrone.com/donald-trumps-new-york-times-interview-dissected-fully/) - Donald Trump was interviewed by a team of reporters from the New York Times yesterday. It was interesting for numerous reasons: one, the rocky relationship that had developed between Trump and the newspaper; two, the fact that they decided to print the interview absolutely verbatim, with no editorial content (which means we get a lot
- [Something to cheer liberals up: a summary of UKIP being rubbish, again](https://nicktyrone.com/something-cheer-liberals-summary-ukip-rubbish/) - It is fair to say that liberals, by that I mean small 'l' liberals of whatever political allegiance, have not had much to cheer about in 2016. In fact, I would say one could almost define themselves as liberal if you found most of what has gone on in politics during this calendar year so far as
- [Theresa May is being pulled in two economic directions by Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-pulled-two-economic-direction-brexit/) - Theresa May's speech to the CBI conference this morning, trailed in the newspapers, perfectly illustrates the economic policy bind she is in. In one breath she will say: "In the autumn statement on Wednesday, we will commit to substantial real terms increases in government investment in R&D investing an extra £2bn a year by the
- [This could have been the one move that ends the EU](https://nicktyrone.com/one-move-ends-eu/) - I am becoming increasingly convinced that Marine Le Pen will win the French presidential election in April of next year. Part of this feeling is undoubtedly Brexit/Trump echoes - but it's more than that. One, the mood in France has been affected by the terrorism inflicted on it over the last couple of years and
- [Here's the big secret about the liberal metropolitan elite that no one talks about](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-big-secret-liberal-elite-no-one-talks/) - We are in the middle of an age in which the "liberal metropolitan elite" are the whipping boys for any and all things wrong for the ills of western society. Who even constitutes the dreaded "LME" changes seemingly day by day. Once upon a time, it was strictly the political elite: MPs, people who worked
- [The Right cannot be anti-business and yet expect business to stay onside forever](https://nicktyrone.com/right-cannot-anti-business-forever-expect-business-stay-onside/) - I've noticed a trend amongst a particular yet large section of the Right in Britain since Trump won. It is something that actually started after June 23rd came and went, but that the Trump victory has made a lot stronger. It is a triumphalism based on a set of perceived centre-right values that has not only changed since May
- [How it is humorous to watch previously pro-House of Lords politicians backtrack on the Upper House](https://nicktyrone.com/humorous-watch-previously-pro-house-lords-politicians-backtrack-upper-house/) - Back in 2012, I worked for an organisation on the forefront of trying to help the then live Clegg Bill to change the Upper House from the current appointed House of Lords into an elected second chamber become law. So I was in the front row for all of the speechifying done by MPs around
- [Why this stuff involving Farage and the American executive is so frightening](https://nicktyrone.com/stuff-involving-farage-american-executive-frightening/) - As everyone knows, Donald Trump met with Nigel Farage before Theresa May, or indeed, any other British politician of any kind. We know this for sure because the proof was in a photograph, taken in a gold plated lift, a demonstration of the trans-Atlantic kinship between the sort of/kind of headcheese of UKIP and the leader
- [Foreign nationals in prisons - an issue more of the moment than you might think](https://nicktyrone.com/foreign-nationals-prisons-issue-moment-might-think/) - Across Europe, 21.7% of the prison population resides in cells not located in their country of origin. This ranges greatly from country to country. Luxembourg, perhaps understandably given it is a very small country in the middle of Europe, has a prison populace that is mostly foreign – 72.7% of all those incarcerated in Luxembourg
- [Far from "taking back control" it feels like Britain's fate is now in the hands of Donald Trump](https://nicktyrone.com/far-taking-back-control-feels-like-britains-fate-hands-donald-trump/) - Theresa May has given a speech today about how Britain needs to become a leader in global free trade. These are welcome words. But I really wonder how this will play out, particularly with the United States. Members of May's government are trying to put a positive spin on Trump getting elected, citing Obama's disinterest
- [No, Donald Trump is not a liberal or a centrist - unless those terms have lost all meaning](https://nicktyrone.com/no-donald-trump-not-liberal-centrist/) - We've had many "unexpected" people try and claim that Donald Trump is actually one of their bunch, and further, has been all along. And the guy hasn't even been president-elect for a week yet. Embarrassingly, both sides of the Labour Party have got in on the act. View Emily Thornberry and her "Jeremy is like
- [What I really think could happen in Syria now that Trump is US president](https://nicktyrone.com/really-think-happen-syria-now-trump-president/) - What Donald Trump said on the campaign trail in regards to foreign policy (actually, all policy areas for that matter) was mixed and often contradictory, so it is hard to know what he will and will not do as president. However, most of what he said on the Middle East was reasonably consistent (by his
- [This is the real reason Trump won the election](https://nicktyrone.com/real-reason-trump-won-election/) - Most of the world remains stunned that Trump could have won the presidential election. Theories abound: some of the few pundits who were correct beforehand said Trump would win because of a key group of indicators; some said you could read it in the behaviour of the markets. But Trump winning conforms to a much simpler prediction
- [Corbynistas declaring that Trump's victory means Corbyn could be prime minister need to come back to reality](https://nicktyrone.com/corbynistas-declaring-trumps-victory-means-corbyn-prime-minister-need-come-back-reality/) - In the wake of Donald Trump's victory, some on the British Left were seeking a silver lining. I'm sure it didn't take them long to find it. Everyone said Trump couldn't win because of the polls - everyone says Jeremy Corbyn can't win because of the polls - Jeremy Corbyn is going to be prime
- [Trump wins. Now what?](https://nicktyrone.com/trump-wins-now/) - I've never been less glad to be right about something than I have turned out to be about Trump winning. I, like many of you, are sitting here in a daze, shocked by another terrible election result (something that has become a very familiar feeling). But let's try and take a deep breath and figure
- [Why I have this sinking feeling that Trump is going to win](https://nicktyrone.com/sinking-feeling-trump-going-win/) - Part of the notion that Donald Trump will come out ahead in the electoral college vote comes down to Brexit - I'll admit that up front. The whole thing feels eerily like the EU referendum, and not just because of Trump's love of all thing Brexity but rather due to the very similar things we're all trying to
- [I still don't understand Labour's Brexit policy. Here's my best attempt.](https://nicktyrone.com/still-dont-understand-labours-brexit-policy/) - When Keir Starmer was made shadow secretary for Brexit, I was pleased. Finally, Labour would get serious about the topic of our times. Yet while Starmer has been impressive in the House, his appointment has still not been enough to halt confusion in regards to the Labour Party and its approach to Brexit. The most
- [The India immigration demand is a look into Britain's future](https://nicktyrone.com/india-immigration-demand-look-britains-future/) - As part of her trip to Delhi, Theresa May has told the press that she will not be making things easier for Indians to get into the UK. “The figures show that we issue more work visas to India than I think US, Australia and China put together. Nine out of 10 visa applications from
- [Why is Julian Assange echoing Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric verbatim?](https://nicktyrone.com/julian-assange-echoing-donald-trumps-campaign-rhetoric-verbatim/) - On the eve of the American presidential election, Julian Assange has conducted an interview with Jonathan Pilger in which he not only attacks Hillary Clinton, but does so sounding a lot like an intellectualised version of Donald Trump. The worst Trumpism he has repeated is that the up coming election will somehow be rigged in
- [If the Supreme Court upholds yesterday's ruling, it will actually be the best thing imaginable for Theresa May](https://nicktyrone.com/high-court-upholds-yesterdays-ruling-will-actually-best-thing-imaginable-theresa-may/) - The government were disappointed by the High Court ruling yesterday that stated parliament needs to be the one to trigger Article 50, not the government via Royal Prerogative. While May needs to make as big a show of disappointment about this in public as possible, in private she may be very glad about the decision
- [How the Left is losing the cultural war, bit by bit](https://nicktyrone.com/left-losing-cultural-war-bit-bit/) - There is a train of thought that says that during the 20th century, the Right won the economic argument - the triumph of capitalism over socialism - while the Left won the social, cultural argument - that liberalism in these spheres won out over social conservatism as we witnessed civil rights, women's rights, and minority rights
- [My ideas for how the centre-left could regenerate itself in Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/ideas-centre-left-regenerate-britain/) - Just prior to Labour Party conference in Liverpool (and the announcement of the leadership election result), I put out a paper on how the centre-left could regenerate itself once the Corbyn project has played itself out. I decided to revisit it now - this article forms the basis of a brief summary. If you want
- [Why the Richmond Park by-election outcome may actually be important for the Labour Party](https://nicktyrone.com/richmond-park-election-outcome-may-actually-important-labour-party/) - Several key Labour figures called for the party not to field a candidate in the Richmond Park by-election, including Lisa Nandy and Clive Lewis. The logic went like this: Labour have no real hope of winning the seat, and by running a candidate they risk splitting the anti-Goldsmith vote and allowing him to win. The
- [It isn't the "Westminster elites" who are trying to keep the UK in the customs union - it's these folks](https://nicktyrone.com/isnt-westminster-elites-trying-keep-uk-customs-union-folks/) - In the wake of the whole Nissan thing, we've had Labour asking for transparency on "the deal" and Nigel Farage, predictably, crowing about how the dreaded "political elites" are going to "betray Brexit" by keeping the UK in the European customs union. While I applaud Labour asking about the Nissan deal in the abstract, it
- [Why I wish there was a pro-Heathrow candidate standing in Richmond Park](https://nicktyrone.com/wish-pro-heathrow-candidate-standing-richmond-park/) - I suppose I shouldn't care so much about this given I don't live in Richmond, but I wish there was a pro-Heathrow candidate standing in the by election, now to be held on December 1st. It feels wrong that there isn't. Labour could do the honourable thing and run a pro-Heathrow candidate. There are plenty
- [Corbyn decides to be the leader of the opposition at long last](https://nicktyrone.com/hold-phone-corbyn-made-laugh-loud-purpose-yesterdays-pmqs-reviewed/) - Okay, credit where credit is due here: Jeremy Corbyn was very good at PMQS yesterday, while Theresa May was genuinely awful. I never thought I'd type that sentence but here we are. Of course, it was mostly because Corbyn went after her on Brexit, easily her least favourite topic of discussion, finally, finally doing so
- [Why Theresa May's decision to not run a candidate in Richmond is profoundly stupid](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-mays-decision-not-run-candidate-richmond-profoundly-stupid/) - For those who have not yet heard, Zac Goldsmith has resigned as MP for Richmond Park over the government's announcement that Heathrow airport will be allowed to expand capacity. After a rather tepid speech in the House, all things considered, Zac said he would quit and thus a by-election would be held. In which he would run
- [The Heathrow problem and how it may foreshadow Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/heathrow-problem-may-foreshadow-brexit/) - The decision to approve Heathrow airport has been "taken" by the government. The reason for the quotations in the last sentence is what has me worried - not about airport expansion but rather about Brexit. The cabinet has decided as a whole that Heathrow should be allowed to expand. Only there is apparently still a long
- [Does the Brexit process pose an unavoidable constitutional crisis?](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-process-pose-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
- [This was the problem with the EU referendum - and how that problem led us to where we are now](https://nicktyrone.com/problem-eu-referendum-problem-led-us-now/) - There's been a lot of talk about the nature of democracy of late in Britain. It has been shaped by the idea that to oppose the referendum result is inherently undemocratic - it's the will of the people, goddamnit, is heard a lot now, particularly from the Conservative side of the House. What it has
- [What does coming in second in Witney actually mean for the Lib Dems?](https://nicktyrone.com/coming-second-whitney-mean-lib-dems/) - I have been striking a note of caution for a while now about the potential for the Lib Dems to rise from the ashes. Local by-election results have been seized upon by both Lib Dem supporters and detractors as proof of the party being born again - I have been less convinced. Despite the Brexit
- [Why liberals shouldn't cheer the death of UKIP too much](https://nicktyrone.com/liberals-shouldnt-cheer-death-ukip-much/) - It is looking increasingly desperate for UKIP. Despite protestations from Farage to the contrary, UKIP appear to be financially insolvent. Political parties often carry debts higher than the man on the street might think, but UKIP's problem is that they've just been through a series of shambolic incidents that has dented their credibility massively, while
- [The isolation of the Cameroons may end up being Theresa May's undoing](https://nicktyrone.com/isolation-cameroons-may-end-theresa-mays-undoing/) - Many in the Cameron camp thought that May would be the continuity candidate. Sure, she'd have to give a lot of jobs to Eurosceptics in the wake of the Leave vote, but it would be a show of reconciliation from within the same basic camp within the Tory party. But that is not how it
- [Brexit MPs want to subvert parliament - in order to make parliament supreme again?](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-mps-want-subvert-parliament-order-make-parliament-supreme/) - Priti Patel said in an interview over the weekend that anti-Brexit MPs were, quote, “using Parliament to subvert the will of the British public”. I wish she and other Brexiteers could see that this statement makes absolutely no sense and contains an obvious logical error in its intended meaning. The whole point of the unwritten British
- [On a scale from one to ten, how ridiculous is Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature?](https://nicktyrone.com/scale-one-ten-ridiculous-bob-dylan-winning-nobel-prize-literature/) - Dylan winning this award from the Nobel crew has divided opinion, with most either deriding it as the end of civilisation or questioning why such a thing took so long to happen. This is clearly part of the reason he got the award - which is part of the problem. Instead of joining the cacophony
- [Stop the War's stance on Russia's behaviour in Syria is the lowest of the low](https://nicktyrone.com/stop-wars-stance-russia-syria-lowest-low/) - Stop the War have managed to make Boris Johnson a sudden beacon of virtue - not easily done. They have also forced me to take his side on something, which makes me rather grumpy. On Tuesday, Boris Johnson announced in the House of Commons that he would like to encourage people to protest outside of
- [Keir Starmer demonstrates how easily Labour could be a more effective opposition](https://nicktyrone.com/keir-starmer-demonstrates-easily-labour-effective-opposition/) - He's only been in the job for five minutes but already the new shadow minister for Brexit has done more to present an effective opposition in regards to his brief than Corbyn and his entire previous shadow cabinet had been able to in the previous three and a half months. In his first time at the box,
- [What happens when both Left and Right no longer care about the free market?](https://nicktyrone.com/happens-left-right-flee-liberalism/) - Devotion towards the free market has been a cornerstone of the Conservative Party for a very long time. At moments in the 20th century it was tempered with what would in the Thatcher years be painted as "wet" concern for equality; yet the idea that markets and the individualism that makes them work has been core to the
- [I thought Corbyn would at least drag British politics leftward - he's done the opposite](https://nicktyrone.com/thought-corbyn-least-drag-british-politics-leftward-hes-done-opposite/) - When Jeremy Corbyn became the surprise leader of the Labour party in September 2015 (surprise as in no one gave him a chance at the outset of the contest - obviously we all knew it was inevitable well before the result was announced), I thought that amongst all the very negative things this would do for Labour and
- [Why the latest recordings really could be the end of Trump being elected president](https://nicktyrone.com/latest-recordings-really-end-trump-elected-president/) - Many pundits in the UK are wondering why the latest scandal to have hit Donald Trump's presidential campaign seems to have created such problems for him when previous horrible things he has said have had so little impact. Sure the "grab her pussy" stuff is vile, but no worse than a myriad of other choice Trump
- [Have UKIP missed their post-Brexit moment already?](https://nicktyrone.com/ukip-missed-post-brexit-moment/) - It was not a great week just gone for UKIP. The resignation of their leader 18 days after having been elected, followed by one of the favourites to take over the reins being hospitalised - after a fight with another UKIP MEP. Shambolic barely covers it. Truth is, it has been terrible for UKIP pretty
- [What the shadow cabinet reshuffle says about where Labour is headed](https://nicktyrone.com/shadow-cabinet-reshuffle-says-labour-headed/) - Most Labour moderates have jumped all over Rosie Winterton's sacking as Corbyn at his worst, but I disagree. She and Corbyn clearly didn't see eye to eye, and I've always said that the leader of any political party needs to feel totally confident their chief whip is on board. Besides, he has replaced her with Nick
- [This could be centre-left politics one remaining hope - weirdly enough](https://nicktyrone.com/becoming-ever-clear-crisis-liberalism/) - Having had time to digest conference season a little over the last 24 hours since returning home from Birmingham, I am left with few things that give me hope for the future. Liberalism is in trouble - by that I mean liberalism with a small "l", not just within the Liberal Democrats. The turn towards social
- [Final thoughts from Tory conference: a bit depressing, really](https://nicktyrone.com/final-thoughts-tory-conference-bit-depressing-really/) - I've written already about how flat and small Labour conference was this year and how massive Tory conference seems in comparison. But put this into the mix: I had way more fun at Labour conference than I did here in Birmingham. Partly this may have to do with the fact that I know more Labour
- [Tory conference this year is bigger than ever - this is why](https://nicktyrone.com/tory-conference-year-bigger-ever/) - After attending the both the smallest Lib Dem conference and the smallest Labour conference I have ever been to, I was preparing myself for a mammoth Conservative Party conference - all of the corporate interests and political energy has to have somewhere to go, right? But I still wasn't ready for what I've found here
- [The top five people who ruined the Labour Party](https://nicktyrone.com/top-five-people-ruined-labour-party/) - As Tory conference kicks off while I still feel hungover from the Labour shindig, I thought it might be worth some time to consider the top five folks who ruined the party of the British left; those most responsible for reducing it to where it is at present - a weird cult - than anyone else.
- [Could Paul Mason be the next leader of the Labour Party?](https://nicktyrone.com/paul-mason-next-leader-labour-party/) - During the summer, a rumour floated around Westminster that Paul Mason was going to try and become the Labour by-election candidate in Leigh (thus, the next MP for Leigh almost guaranteed) once Andy Burnham steps down (after he becomes the next mayor of Manchester; again, pretty much guaranteed). It hit Guido; Mason denied it. However,
- [The anti-immigration thing isn't a great look for Labour moderates](https://nicktyrone.com/anti-immigration-thing-isnt-great-look-labour-moderates/) - As witnessed in Liverpool over the weekend, Labour moderates are floundering in the face of Corbyn's even bigger win amongst the membership, not ready to split but not sure what the other options really entail. They are trying a few things out, experimenting. One trend we're seeing a bit of now is trying to re-pitch
- [Final thoughts from Labour conference](https://nicktyrone.com/final-thoughts-labour-conference/) - As I sat in a reception last night, the endless affairs one goes to at any political conference, I thought: so this is how the Left dies; not with a bang but a whimper. Like before last year's Labour conference in Brighton we heard all about how the party's divisions were going to be on
- [Report from Liverpool: are Labour fast becoming the Lib Dems?](https://nicktyrone.com/report-liverpool-labour-becoming-lib-dems/) - I arrived in Liverpool late yesterday afternoon. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but what I found was definitely not it. Instead of open civil war, a strange placidity has set in, like one imagines a city after a nuclear bomb attack. The remnants of a once great society are all that's left, and
- [British politics is now all about demagogues and those who need power](https://nicktyrone.com/british-politics-demagogues-need-power/) - "We want politicians who are neither populists like Farage, or "born to rule" types like Cameron.....we want politicians who are more like every day people." I am paraphrasing above something I once heard in a focus group discussion several years ago. You hear similar things all the time from people when asked about the current
- [The problem the Lib Dems have isn't Coalition legacy - it's this](https://nicktyrone.com/problem-lib-dems-isnt-coalition-legacy/) - At the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton last weekend, I spoke at an event about Lib Dem campaigning. Now, the Lib Dems are an optimistic (some meaner people might use the word delusional) bunch when it comes to the future of their party, so I think I ruffled some feathers with what I had to
- [Let's stop calling Corbyn a "saint" - he's actually pretty nasty](https://nicktyrone.com/lets-stop-calling-corbyn-saint-hes-actually-pretty-nasty/) - Margaret Beckett famously described herself as a "moron" in regards to her decision to nominate Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour Party. Yet she also can't bring herself to say anything truly bad about him either. She even once described him in an interview, post-2015 leadership election I hasten to add, as a saint. This is a
- [Tim Farron's interesting take on Tony Blair makes me think about my own](https://nicktyrone.com/tim-farrons-interesting-take-blair-makes-think/) - In an interview in the Guardian this week, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron gave an interesting, counter-intuitive take on Tony Blair: "Blair in three chapters – the final chapter is post 9/11, where breathtaking foolishness after foolishness, hubris and something that diminished Britain in the world, cost the lives of thousands of innocent people and
- [Corbyn finally has a decent PMQs - and it is easy to see why](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-finally-decent-pmqs-easy-see/) - The Left is cracking the Cava about Jeremy Corbyn having finally got the best of a Tory prime minister at Prime Minister's Questions. Fair enough - it's been some time in coming, and there is no doubt that Corbyn won the session. But if you stop to think why that is, several things about the
- [ASLEF leader compares Hilary Benn to Hitler - and that's not even this worst thing about his speech](https://nicktyrone.com/aslef-leader-compares-hilary-benn-hitler-thats-not-even-worst-thing-speech/) - Today marks the end of TUC congress. To explain what that is in layman's terms, it is an annual conference where people interested in trade unions come together to discuss trade union type stuff. This year's event is in Brighton. I'd like to highlight a segment from the congress speech of Tosh McDonald, the president
- [The Right usually makes no sense when it talks about Brexit - and this is why](https://nicktyrone.com/right-usually-makes-no-sense-talks-brexit/) - When one examines the Conservative Party's internecine divisions and all out obsessions regarding the European Union down through the years, it is worth noting that a great deal of them make no sense. Lest you think this is going to be some Remainer diatribe, allow me to elaborate. Some Brexit positions on the Right at
- [Labour will look back very soon on the whole Owen Smith saga with deep regret](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-will-look-back-soon-owen-smith-saga-regret/) - “Definitely...I’m unashamedly a socialist. I’m unashamedly an idealist.” - Owen Smith, summer of 2016 If Labour is indeed unable to pull itself out of its current woes and what we are witnessing now are its death throes, many historians will look back with confusion on why the Labour right chose as its potential saviour a
- [Another terrible Corbyn moment in the House of Commons was witnessed yesterday](https://nicktyrone.com/another-terrible-corbyn-moment-house-commons/) - Particularly after David Davis' waffle from the dispatch box on what Brexit might mean earlier this week, Corbyn was presented with a golden opportunity to expose Theresa May and the Tories' weak spot yesterday at PMQs. As usual, he declined the invitation. The Corbynistas like to talk about how the Guardian is a Blairite mouthpiece
- [Do we need a new Clause IV moment? Why socialism is the elephant in the centre-left room](https://nicktyrone.com/need-new-clause-iv-moment-socialism-elephant-centre-left-room/) - Many on the left of Labour still take pleasure in decrying Blair’s altering of Clause IV of the party’s constitution, citing it as definitive proof that the former Labour leader never cared about his own party’s ideological core. Yet what I’ve always found interesting about that “moment” at the special Easter conference in 1995 is
- [What did we learn from David Davis yesterday?](https://nicktyrone.com/learn-david-davis-yesterday/) - It has become a cliché to mention that you couldn't make the Thick of It these days because actual politics has become so ridiculous. Yet it is difficult to avoid bringing it up after a day like yesterday. David Davis addressed the House for the first time from the dispatch box since becoming Minister for
- [May's pledge not to hold a general election until 2020 should be a massive help to the centre-left - but it probably won't be](https://nicktyrone.com/mays-pledge-not-hold-general-election-2020-massive-help-centre-left/) - I have wondered for some time whether Theresa May's promise not to try for an early general election was a ploy. The thinking goes like this: you say you won't hold one so that you don't fall into the speculation trap Gordon Brown did nearly a decade ago - yet it is always there if you
- [How the Rambo series of movies plays the Kubler-Ross grief cycle in reverse](https://nicktyrone.com/rambo-series-movies-plays-kubler-ross-grief-cycle-reverse/) - "First Blood" is a film that was almost made many times throughout the 1970s before finally being produced for release in 1982. Throughout a tortured decade in turnaround, the names attached to play John Rambo, the main character, are striking: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Nick Nolte, Michael Douglas. The
- [The Right is engaging in fantasies normally reserved for the Left](https://nicktyrone.com/right-engaging-fantasies-normally-reserved-left/) - A friend of mine who is a journalist on a right leaning outlet said to me several years ago: "The thing about the Left is, they are always talking about things that either can't be done or would never be done. Like socialising off licences or abolishing prisons. It's always fantasy politics which is why
- [I am no closer to understanding what Theresa May is doing on Brexit after Chequers](https://nicktyrone.com/no-closer-understanding-theresa-may/) - Big meeting of the cabinet to discuss what Brexit means at Chequers this week. Obviously it means Brexit, but given no one seems able to actually define what "means" means, "Brexit means Brexit" has become a political Mobius strip. How May plans to escape from it is no clearer from what her spokespeople have said this week. “Several cabinet members
- [Labour and the Lib Dems are taking the boundary review a wee bit lightly](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-lib-dems-taking-boundary-review-wee-bit-lightly/) - For those of you unaware, the Conservative government is bringing in new boundaries in 2018, ones that will form the basis of constituencies for whenever the next general election is held (2020, unless the Fixed Term Parliament Act is got round). It will reduce the number of MPs from the current 650 to 600. In
- [Why Jeremy Corbyn's "digital revolution" won't work](https://nicktyrone.com/jeremy-corbyns-digital-revolution-wont-work/) - For someone who was supposed to represent a new politics shorn of gimmicks, Corbyn sure resorts to a lot of gimmicks. His latest one is a particular portion of today's "digital democracy" speech. Most of the speech is actually okay, surprisingly enough. He talks about how it is unfair that parts of the country have serviceable access
- [What would have been worse? A Labour conference with a GMB picket or no conference at all?](https://nicktyrone.com/worse-labour-conference-gmb-picket-no-conference/) - A group of political friends and I were discussing this yesterday, all of us spread across the party political spectrum. Since, the Labour Party has actually found a security company to do their conference for them. But it was still a fun chat, basically falling into two broad scenarios, which were: Labour conference going ahead
- [In a time of little joy for political moderates, UKIP being rubbish acts as comfort food](https://nicktyrone.com/time-little-joy-political-moderates-ukip-rubbish-acts-comfort-food/) - For those of you who haven't seen Nigel Farage speaking at a Republican rally in America in support of Donald Trump - don't bother, it will only depress you further about the state of the universe. To summarise, Farage tells Americans they can overcome the might of global corporate greed by electing the head of
- [Could the GMB-Unite spat develop into a greater rift in the trade union movement generally?](https://nicktyrone.com/gmb-unite-spat-develop-greater-rift-trade-union-movement-generally/) - The Guardian put out an article yesterday highlighting the ongoing security problems Labour conference is still having. In doing so, it revealed just how great the rift between Unite and GMB has become. To summarise a messy situation as best as one can: under Corbyn's push, the NEC decided to stop using G4S, the company
- [What #traingate really says about Corbyn and the phenomenon around him](https://nicktyrone.com/traingate-really-says-corbyn-phenomenon-around/) - For those of you who have been avoiding the news, living in a box, or are reading this in the future, Jeremy Corbyn has caused a social media storm this week with what has been dubbed "Traingate". Corbyn and his team got on a Virgin train and filmed the Labour leader sat in a corridor,
- [Owen Smith has called for more direct democracy within Labour. It's a mistake](https://nicktyrone.com/owen-smith-called-direct-democracy-within-labour-mistake/) - Owen Smith has decided that under his proposed leadership (looking more distant by the day), the Labour leadership would be completely bound by conference as the decision making centre of the party - even if they formed a majority government. "My promise to the party is that I will not ignore conference. I will bind myself
- [News flash for the Left: being called a Tory isn't an insult to most people](https://nicktyrone.com/called-tory-isnt-insult-people/) - I'm not a member of the Conservative Party. Nor have I ever been a member. Nor am I considering becoming a member of the Conservative Party in the near future. Yet I do not consider being called a Tory an insult in any way shape or form. I have many friends and associates who are
- [Why Jeremy Corbyn is a bit like Slayer](https://nicktyrone.com/jeremy-corbyn-momentum-bit-like-slayer/) - When I was a teenager, I was a devoted fan for several years of the American death metal band known as Slayer. They were loud, they were aggressive sounding, they were sacrilegious - everything I was looking for in a musical act when I was fifteen. They sang about Satan; the lead guitarist had a
- [Why did Owen Smith say that?](https://nicktyrone.com/owen-smith-say/) - I get the routine. Everyone out there who is any way moderate should back Owen Smith over Corbyn. Just look the other way when Smith says something silly; when he comes across as "Corbyn if Corbyn had any respect for parliamentary democracy whatsoever" and nothing more; but there is a line in the sand and
- [Is Nigel Farage destined to take over UKIP again?](https://nicktyrone.com/nigel-farage-destined-take-ukip/) - There have been several party leadership contests in the UK since June 23rd, all vying for the title of greatest shit show ever, but I think the prize has to go to UKIP. Following the vote to leave the European Union and Nigel Farage's resignation as leader of the party (third time and counting), UKIP
- [A look at Trump's seven point foreign policy plan tells you a lot about a possible future](https://nicktyrone.com/look-trumps-seven-point-foreign-policy-plan-tells-lot-possible-future/) - Donald Trump has announced his foreign policy plans. It boils down to seven points; let us look at them before going any further: withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. appoint the toughest and smartest trade negotiators to fight on behalf of American workers. direct the Secretary of Commerce to identify every violation of
- [Fox v BoJo: what it tells us about Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/fox-v-bojo-tells-us-brexit/) - So the handbags between Boris Johnson and Liam Fox have begun sooner than most expected. Fox, predictably, is trying to grab some FCO land, claiming that he needs it in order to do his job properly (which may actually have a scintilla of truth about it), while Boris Johnson, equally predictably, is resisting all attempts
- [Who will win the Premier League this year? My cynical take on this nagging question](https://nicktyrone.com/will-win-premier-league-year-cynical-take-nagging-question/) - I have something to confess, straight off: I hardly ever watch football these days. I tuned in a bit last Spring when it really looked like Leicester City were going to do it, but that was the first English league football I'd watched in several years. So take what I'm about to say with that
- [Is it possible for Labour to "re-unify" after the leadership contest?](https://nicktyrone.com/possible-labour-re-unify-leadership-contest/) - Charlie Falconer has said on the BBC that Labour must unify in late-September, whatever the result of the Labour leadership contest is. “We’ve got to have the leadership election, we’ll get a result in the leadership election, then we as a party have got to unify. There’s more speculation about an early election. We as
- [If Theresa May doesn't call a general election in the next twelve months, she'll regret it](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-doesnt-call-general-election-next-twelve-months-shell-regret/) - Keen watchers of British politics need no reminding that Gordon Brown almost called an election after he became prime minister in 2007, then didn't, then regretted it deeply. It is one of the great what-ifs of the 21st century. Almost everything that fills out the political landscape today in the UK would be different. There
- [The NEC elections could mark the real beginning of the end for Labour](https://nicktyrone.com/nec-elections-mark-real-beginning-end-labour/) - As it stands, Labour MPs are desperate not to leave their party, even after everything that has happened in the past year. They cling to the hope that Smith will win, somehow. That from there normalcy can slowly but surely be restored. But it is now becoming about more than just Corbyn's leadership - the
- [Of course Corbyn would hang on as leader if Labour lost a general election](https://nicktyrone.com/course-corbyn-hang-leader-labour-lost-general-election/) - One of the things that has stymied Labour moderates thus far (and looks set to continue) is that they are still trying to fight conventional warfare while Corbyn goes guerrilla style. Take the mass resignations from the front benches - the idea was that he couldn't possibly hang on if they did so. Yet here
- [Why Sadiq Khan is the most effective politician in Britain at the moment](https://nicktyrone.com/sadiq-khan-effective-politician-britain-moment/) - Across the western world, iconoclastic supposed "outsiders" are taking over politics. Trump and his total disregard to the generally accepted rules about what politicians can and cannot say; Corbyn's total disinterest in the conventions of Westminster politics, to the point of thinking his entire parliamentary party is an irrelevance; the Vote Leave campaign's lack of
- [Let's examine Jeremy Corbyn's policies then, in as much detail as we can all handle](https://nicktyrone.com/lets-examine-jeremy-corbyns-policies-ten-detail/) - When Owen Smith came out with his policy pledges, I can't say I was blown away. Of the twenty on offer, I think four were really good, four were really terrible and the rest very mediocre. Saying that, at least there were some ideas there. What has Corbyn offered? And instead of asking that question rhetorically,
- [I think I'm suffering from post traumatic Brexit vote meltdown disorder](https://nicktyrone.com/think-im-suffering-post-traumatic-brexit-vote-meltdown-disorder/) - For a period of about three to four weeks following EU referendum polling day, the political news agenda in the UK was epically mental. Every fifteen minutes there was a new, huge story: someone had resigned from something, every political party seemed in meltdown mode, careers were up and then down and then finished within
- [Why liberals are a bit like George Lucas](https://nicktyrone.com/liberals-bit-like-george-lucas/) - All but a few nerds and serial contrarians agree that the "Star Wars" prequels, a trilogy of motion pictures released between 1999 and 2005, were amongst the worst contributions to cinema of all time. There are many reasons why they are so terrible - but I will focus today on only one crucial element as
- [Thank God UKIP keep screwing up like this](https://nicktyrone.com/thank-god-ukip-keep-screwing-like/) - Stephen Woolfe, the maybe, maybe-not candidate to be the next UKIP leader, was on Radio 4 this morning. You see, Stephen's been dogged by two problems concerning his candidacy. One, an apparent lapse in his membership at some point a couple of years ago (UKIP have this absurd rule you have to have been a
- [Could we be entering an era of short prime ministerial reigns?](https://nicktyrone.com/entering-era-short-prime-ministerial-reigns/) - It's hard to believe last year's Tory party conference was only last year. Back then Cameron seemed indestructible and Osborne was the assumed next prime minister. It is amazing to think that less than eleven months later, here we are, both of their political careers over. Or are they? We live in such strange political times,
- [Things have got this bad: I look back on George W Bush with a hint of nostalgia](https://nicktyrone.com/things-gotten-bad-look-back-george-w-bush-hint-nostalgia/) - I often rail against nostalgia. I think it claims too much space on the Left and the far-right (this is one of the reasons the centre-right are in power) and stops new ideas from coming forward. But none of us are immune to its charms. Something reminded me of the 43rd American president yesterday -
- [What exactly are Corbyn's great, radical ideas anyhow?](https://nicktyrone.com/exactly-corbyns-great-ideas-anyhow/) - There are so many articles floating around the internet with this basic theme, it has become a cliché already: the right and soft left of Labour like to go on and on about electability while having no ideas of how to create a different sense of how to be different from the Tories. Meanwhile Corbyn
- [What's happening at the Democratic convention in the US should be instructive for the British Left](https://nicktyrone.com/whats-happening-democratic-convention-us-instructive-british-left/) - At the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, which began yesterday and runs until Thursday, Bernie Sanders was roundly booed by many of his own supporters as he urged them to get behind Hilary. "I'm proud to stand with her", he said. There have already been other notable scenes of Sanders supporters shouting their disapproval in the hall.
- [Boris Johnson's claim that Brexit wasn't isolationist rings hollow](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnsons-claim-brexit-wasnt-isolationist-rings-hollow/) - Boris is in New York at present, co-incidentally the city of his birth, to speak at the UN about all things Brexity (this will be pretty much the sole job of Foriegn Secretaries from now until the middle of the century at least). He warned people not to equate Brexit with a desire for isolationism.
- [You have to wonder now if Corbyn really is agitating for Labour to split](https://nicktyrone.com/wonder-now-corbyn-really-agitating-labour-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
- [The truth about Brexit and the Swiss - we really screwed them over](https://nicktyrone.com/truth-brexit-swiss-really-screwed/) - I'm in Switzerland at present, learning all about how the British Leave vote screwed the Swiss. That's not the only reason I'm here, just to be clear, but it's an interesting aspect of being in Bern at the moment. As some of you may know, Switzerland had a referendum on whether to limit freedom of
- [The Trident debate really did expose the Tories lack of opposition](https://nicktyrone.com/trident-debate-really-expose-tories-lack-opposition/) - The Commons voted for Trident renewal by a majority of 355. It was always going to be this way given it is the official policy of both of the two largest parties. But the debate held during the lead up to the vote was instructive in demonstrating Britain has no actual opposition at present. The
- [Has Theresa May realised that Brexit is practically undoable?](https://nicktyrone.com/theresa-may-realised-brexit/) - It was what she said very recently on her trip to Scotland to see Nicola that convinced me: Theresa intends to kick this into the long grass. I mean the 2020 long grass. That my previous assumption that she would just settle the whole matter via some sort of quick, Norway style EEA deal was
- [Amber Rudd is probably the most liberal Home Secretary ever](https://nicktyrone.com/amber-rudd-almost-certainly-liberal-home-secretary-ever/) - Some liberals may remember Amber as the DECC Secretary (ah, I feel nostalgic for that department already) who took over from Ed Davey; who had a letter leaked about her department not meeting renewable energy targets, thus incurring the wrath of environmentalist organisations. Those of you out there who think of Amber this way will
- [David Cameron's last PMQs felt sad - it is the end of an era the Left should consider carefully](https://nicktyrone.com/david-camerons-last-pmqs-felt-sad-end-era-left-consider-carefully/) - I was never the biggest fan of David Cameron's. I didn't dislike him either - I just felt he prized party unity over the hard yards his modernisation project needed if he was to have done it in real earnest. I always thought the Coalition provided him with the opportunity to redefine the Tories as
- [The Brexit process looks like it will be a nightmare - particularly for the Tories](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-process-will-nightmare-particularly-tories/) - In the midst of everything happening around a meeting of Labour's national executive committee regarding the future of Jeremy Corbyn (which didn't go so well), there were some interesting bits of Brexit related news yesterday. Martin Schultz, the president of the European Parliament, wrote an interesting article in the Guardian. In it, he comes across as
- [The flight of the Brexiteers](https://nicktyrone.com/the-flight-of-the-brexiteers/) - When I try and think of what the lasting image of the EU referendum might be, I will hazard a prediction (very dangerous these days - I was convinced Andrea Leadsom was going to be prime minister of the country only yesterday morning) that it could well be the slapped arse faces of Boris Johnson
- [Now that Angela Eagle has challenged Corbyn, we may see just how ugly the far-left can get](https://nicktyrone.com/now-angela-eagle-challenged-corbyn-may-see-just-ugly-far-left-can-get/) - So finally, it's on. Corbyn wouldn't submit to parliamentary pressure and so Angela Eagle was forced to formally challenge him. Jeremy himself went on Marr to talk about it over the weekend where he displayed no discomfort whatsoever. It seems clear that whatever happens he is going to win by his own measure. Either the
- [Could David Miliband re-enter British politics this clever way?](https://nicktyrone.com/david-miliband-re-enter-british-politics-clever-way/) - I wish to preface this article with the statement that everything you are about to read is simply conjecture. I have no inside knowledge as to whether any of this is a possibility or not. This, in other words, is just a scenario I have completely made up. But it is a possible one, and a fascinating
- [Leadsom really could be our next prime minister now](https://nicktyrone.com/leadsom-really-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
- [UKIP led by Paul Nuttall could be bigger than any of you are imagining](https://nicktyrone.com/ukip-led-paul-nuttall-bigger-imaging/) - Everything is on a plate for UKIP at the moment. Actually, from the moment Cameron promised to hold an EU referendum, it always was. If we had voted to Remain, UKIP could have mopped up the disaffected, particularly the ex-Labour voters. As it stands, the prize they could grab could be much, much bigger now
- [The Chilcot report was the last thing the Labour Party needed at the moment](https://nicktyrone.com/chilcot-report-last-thing-labour-party-needed-moment/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/despite-rhetoric-still-general-election-year/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/need-experience-get-us-mess-no-time-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
- [What is so hard to understand about single market = freedom of movement?](https://nicktyrone.com/hard-understand-single-market-freedom-movement/) - Since the Leave vote hit us, it has occurred to me just how little the political class understands our relationship with the EU pre-referendum, never mind what the public has really absorbed on the subject. There have been many misapprehensions, but the one that really stands out is the idea that somehow we can stay
- [Here a musical suggestion you won't get elsewhere: look into the works of Birdie Hilltop](https://nicktyrone.com/musical-suggestion-wont-get-elsewhere-look-works-birdie-hilltop/) - A very good friend of mine died less than a year ago in rather tragic circumstances. He was the one who first introduced me to the works of Birdie Hilltop, a singer/songwriter from Pennsylvania who has several albums to his name. I loved Birdie's music from the very first minute I heard it - somehow languid
- [The move for Tory MPs to rubber stamp May as prime minster, bypassing the membership, might backfire](https://nicktyrone.com/move-tory-mps-rubber-stamp-may-prime-minster-bypassing-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](https://nicktyrone.com/three-events-changed-british-political-history-past-decade/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/next-prime-minister-will-michael-gove-dont-see-wont-happen/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/idea-westminster-london-getting-bloody-nose-perhaps-worst-brexit-lie/) - 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](https://nicktyrone.com/think-tories-will-next-brexit-saga-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](https://nicktyrone.com/britain-post-brexit-reminds-worst-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?](https://nicktyrone.com/labour-mp-save-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.
- [I really don't see how Scotland remains in the Union now](https://nicktyrone.com/really-dont-see-scotland-remains-union-now/) - It's been repeated ad nauseam since Friday morning - and the phrase "a week is a long time in politics" has never seemed so apt as this week - but worth repeating again: Scotland voted 62-38 to remain in the EU, while England voted 55-45 to leave. That's a gaping 17 point difference. Back in
- [It's not all his fault - but Jeremy Corbyn needs to go, right now](https://nicktyrone.com/not-fault-jeremy-corbyn-really-need-go/) - In the wake of Brexit and Cameron's resignation as prime minister, there have been calls from inside of the Labour Party, particularly the PLP, to challenge Corbyn's leadership. It is worth trying to look at this as rationally as possible. In many ways, blaming Corbyn for Brexit is unfair. It wasn't his idea to have
- [The United Kingdom has voted to Leave the EU. Now what?](https://nicktyrone.com/united-kingdom-voted-leave-eu-now/) - I can only hope it doesn't go as badly from here as it looks like it will from I'm standing right now. Up until the final moment, the mood in Westminster was very much that Remain were certain to win. You saw it in Farage's resignation, in Boris' body language. The polls had bounced back
- [If Remain wins today, we need to do a lot better from here on in](https://nicktyrone.com/whatever-todays-result-need-lot-better/) - It is easy to look at the Leave campaign as an ardent Remainer and see nothing but bile. The Turkish ploy was deeply cynical, for instance. But one cannot look at the polls being neck in neck and dismiss almost 50% of the voting public (if we on the Remain side are lucky today, anyhow)
- [One day before the EU referendum: final thoughts](https://nicktyrone.com/one-day-eu-referendum-final-thoughts/) - So here we are. After what feels like years of campaigning, the polling stations will open less than 24 hours from now on what will be one of the most momentous decisions the country has ever undertaken. At present I feel a bit like someone who has been told he might have cancer, but the
- [If Leave wins on Thursday, could there be a Tory-UKIP rapprochement?](https://nicktyrone.com/leave-wins-thursday-tory-ukip-rapprochement/) - Several years ago at a particular Tory conference, I organised an event around whether the Coalition was a good or a bad thing from a strictly Conservative perspective (incidentally, I think history has conclusively come down on the "good thing" side of that argument). I asked Peter Bone whether he felt closer to David Cameron
- [The EU referendum campaign really has been a display of the worst of modern politics](https://nicktyrone.com/eu-referendum-campaign-really-display-worst-modern-politics/) - I've come to the point where one of the chief reasons I want us to vote Remain on Thursday is so we don't have to talk about the European Union again for another year at least. As a Europhile, it pains me to say this, but after the last few months it is how I
- [The worst thing about Brexit is that the people who vote for it will be most adversely affected if it happens](https://nicktyrone.com/worst-thing-brexit-people-vote-will-adversely-affected/) - Several areas in London are odds on to be the place that votes to Remain in the EU in the largest numbers. Clacton-on-Sea is odds on to be the place which votes most heavily for Leave. Two things are interesting about this. One, the places in London voting for Remain are the areas most directly affected
- [What will suspended campaigning mean for the EU referendum result?](https://nicktyrone.com/will-suspended-campaigning-mean-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
- [The bleak view of post-Brexit Britain I put forth is starting to look too positive](https://nicktyrone.com/bleak-view-post-brexit-britain-put-forth-starting-look-positive/) - On Tuesday of this week, I posted a vision of what life would be like if we voted to Leave next week. It was a terrifying look into a UK taken over by the right of the Conservative Party. But having discussed it with others since, I think I may have actually been a little
- [This could be Cameron's last ditch move to keep us in Europe](https://nicktyrone.com/camerons-last-ditch-move-keep-us-europe/) - This week, upon advice from strategists and pollsters, David Cameron is taking a step back from the Stronger In campaign. This is not how DC saw things going down a few months ago - by this stage, Remain were going to be 20 points up in the polls, all down to his magnetic popularity. Instead,
- [What Brexit is really going to look like now](https://nicktyrone.com/brexit-really-going-look-like-now/) - The Germans are saying no access to the single market if the UK votes for Brexit, and Cameron has said he'll take a Brexit vote as a signal to pull us out of the single market as well. Although both sides could backtrack on this, it would be difficult after all this has been said.
- [An interesting poll on who Britons associate with Leave and Remain](https://nicktyrone.com/interesting-poll-britons-associate-leave-remain/) - Over the weekend, I happened upon a YouGov poll that was conducted and released at the end of May on the EU referendum question. This one wasn't your run of the mill polling on the subject - instead, people were asked to rank 30 different well known fictional characters from most likely to vote Remain
- [England v Russia - a review of the match and everything around it](https://nicktyrone.com/england-v-russia-review-match-everything-around/) - I have to confess something off the top: it's been some time since I watched an England football match. It's partly that as I get older, I like cricket more and football less. Another part of it is that something broke in me when I watched that mind crushingly awful England v Algeria 0-0 draw in the 2010
- [My fear is that post-EU referendum, politics could be thrown into chaos - whatever the result](https://nicktyrone.com/fear-post-eu-referendum-politics-thrown-chaos-whatever-result/) - David Cameron had hoped that an EU referendum would result in a thumping win for Remain, close the Europe question down for a generation and thus bring unity to his party. All three of those goals now look out of reach. The polls are staying doggedly close into the final stretch, already Brexiteers are setting up for a
- [Owen Jones is correct: the right of Labour must let go of Tony Blair](https://nicktyrone.com/owen-jones-correct-right-labour-must-let-go-tony-blair/) - As you know, I don't agree with Owen Jones all that much. However, he wrote a piece the other day that was spot on entitled, "If Blairites want a future they must divorce themselves from Blair". In the piece, Owen describes beautifully how a need to link themselves with Blair continually undermines the right of
- [Cameron v Farage - a review](https://nicktyrone.com/cameron-v-farage-review/) - The first thing to say about last night is that it could have been a lot worse for Vote Leave. What they would have wanted to avoid at the outset was Farage ending up saying something offensive that was quotable; they dodged that bullet. The UKIP leader was aggressive and nervous, however, and didn't come
- [How Eurosceptic Tories have sacrificed everything for Brexit](https://nicktyrone.com/eurosceptic-tories-sacrificed-everything-brexit/) - We all agree that the EU referendum campaign has been unedifying - and we're not even into the final two weeks of it yet, where the ugliness is bound to increase, particularly after the Leavers got a poll bounce off the immigration stuff. The squalid nature of the debate has come as no surprise to
- [It has been a bad week for #StrongerIn - what does that mean now?](https://nicktyrone.com/bad-week-strongerin-mean-now/) - When the Leave campaign began to focus all its guns on immigration, it looked to many of us as if they had given up. They couldn't win the economic argument, so they shifted to betting everything on a last ditch effort built around a topic they had assiduously avoided to that point in order to
- [Jeremy Corbyn: The Outsider - a review](https://nicktyrone.com/jeremy-corbyn-outsider-review/) - The following is a review of the Vice documentary, "Jeremy Corbyn: The Outsider", which is a half hour long behind the scenes look at Corbyn and his team, directed and presented by Ben Ferguson. I know what you're thinking: here's my chance to revel in another Corbyn media misstep. But I genuinely watched the documentary
- [Reaction to Cameron's EU "debate" says a lot about our political times](https://nicktyrone.com/reaction-camerons-eu-debate-says-lot-political-times/) - Last night, as those of you not watching England v Portugal might have picked up on, the prime minister went on Sky News to be grilled by Faisal Islam on why we should stay in the EU, followed by questions from the studio audience on the same topic. After it was all done, the commentariat
- [As if Donald Trump running for president wasn't bad enough.......enter these idiots](https://nicktyrone.com/donald-trump-running-president-wasnt-bad-enough-enter-idiots/) - Everyone is going to have to face the fact that the leader of the free world after January 20 of next year could very well be Donald Trump. I have done what most people do when faced with a terrible reality: I've tried to rationalise it. I've told myself that perhaps the GOP will just
- [How the Brexiteers are doing their side's chances of winning in three weeks no good](https://nicktyrone.com/brexiteers-caught-negative-feedback-loop/) - I've read a few articles over the past week or so from members of the Right who are desperate to jump on any sign of life from the Leave camp as proof that the country still might vote to leave the European Union on June 23rd. Anytime a poll puts Leave in even the most
- [It scares me to think of how close to a horror show we really are sometimes](https://nicktyrone.com/scares-think-close-horror-show-really-sometimes/) - In a little over three weeks time, British voters will go to the polls with the possibility of the country leaving the European Union. Although we've become used to the referendum and all that has come with it, we should pause for a moment to reflect on how amazing it is that the plebiscite is
- [What a holiday in England in May tells me about the EU referendum result](https://nicktyrone.com/holiday-england-may/) - We came to East Anglia on family business/pre-summer getaway idea. Escaping from London is always refreshing, obviously. It also reminds one of what a different world London exists in compared to the rest of England; as if during this EU referendum mud slinging epoch we needed that much reminding of this fact. I've written previously
- [Tuition free university leads to fewer poor students attending - which only makes sense](https://nicktyrone.com/free-university-tuition/) - The Sutton Trust, Britain's foremost education think tank, released a paper at the end of this week exploring what effect free tuition has had on Scottish universities and their socioeconomic profile. Given free tuition is a shibboleth of the Left, the findings make for interesting reading. Kids from disadvantaged backgrounds in England are 2.4 times
- [Why the Diane James argument on immigration and the EU doesn't work](https://nicktyrone.com/diane-james-argument-immigration-eu-doesnt-work/) - Last night was the first TV debate on the EU referendum. It was held in Glasgow, but the only nod to Scotland on the panel was the inclusion of Salmond (to be fair, there are no major figures in Scottish politics who are pro-Brexit, unless you count Galloway). Diane James has come in for some
- [How becoming a mayor is the new black](https://nicktyrone.com/becoming-mayor-new-black/) - Even though he's already put his foot in it enough to amuse us all, Andy Burnham wishing to become mayor of Manchester in the first place is interesting in and of itself. He's shadow home secretary for a start, albeit within an opposition that is going nowhere fast. But in the wake of Sadiq Khan
- [It is time for Vote Leave to admit that Boris has been a disaster for them](https://nicktyrone.com/time-vote-leave-admit-boris-disaster/) - Two things inspired me to write this article, although the basic idea behind it has been swirling around subconsciously for a couple of weeks now. One was another of Boris' innumerable, inane, Leave orientated stunts last week. He was in a car with "Vote Leave" on the side of it; while the driver of the
- [Leave.EU are seemingly on a mission to destroy Euroscepticism in Britain forever](https://nicktyrone.com/leave-eu-seemingly-mission-destroy-euroscepticism-britain-forever/) - On the Yes to AV campaign, we spent a massive amount of time firefighting against a small but vocal section of our own support. People who wanted to burn their MP in effigy, or have a rally in the centre of their town while likening First Past the Post to the horrors of Nazi Germany;
- [Inviting Ed Miliband to join the shadow cabinet would be another Corbyn unforced error](https://nicktyrone.com/inviting-ed-miliband-join-shadow-cabinet-another-corbyn-unforced-error/) - The Times reports today that Jeremy Corbyn may be about to invite Ed Miliband to take up a shadow cabinet role. Although no sources are directly named, this looks like an officially sanctioned leak, one that was meant to hit the papers. Some of those quoted off the record were less than pleased about this
- [This could be Cameron's final move in the EU referendum to ensure a Remain vote](https://nicktyrone.com/camerons-final-move-eu-referendum-ensure-remain-vote/) - Although nothing can be taken for granted, the polls are starting to move towards Remain. Given you'd expect a push of three to five points for the status quo option on polling day, even if the two sides were polling neck in neck, this bodes badly for Leave. Still, if you look at the Scottish
- [We now get to see how deep dislike of immigration runs in Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/now-get-see-deep-dislike-immigration-runs-britian/) - Yesterday, the previously mostly cerebral Gove decided to go a bit Boris Johnson on us. I figured Gove would almost certainly have to give in to the immigration beast at some point in the campaign, but I didn't think he'd ever go in this hard: “Boris Johnson and I will use all our influence with
- [Five questions the Remain campaign need to answer - so I've answered them](https://nicktyrone.com/five-questions-the-remain-campaign-need-to-answer-so-ive-answered-them/) - On Twitter, I've been feeling the heat from the Leavers of late. Despite being a passionate Europhile, I have a lot of sympathy for these people. They are exactly where I and many people I worked with on the Yes to AV campaign were five years ago. "It's all unfair", "the other guys are nasty
- [Iain Duncan Smith seems to have thrown in the towel on Leave winning the EU referendum](https://nicktyrone.com/iain-duncan-smith-seems-to-have-throw-in-the-towel-on-leave-winning-the-eu-referendum/) - Yesterday was the Queen's Speech, the kick off of another glorious session of parliament. It was understandably an understated slate of legislation put forth. Some Tories didn't see it that way, the understandable part of it I mean, namely one former DWP Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. “Whether it is the Trade Union Bill or the
- [Nigel Farage finally gets let out of his box - with disastrous results](https://nicktyrone.com/nigel-farage-finally-gets-let-out-of-his-box-with-disastrous-results/) - I can imagine senior members of Vote Leave gathered around a conference table several months back. The topic of discussion: Nigel Farage. "If we can keep him contained, we can win," one of them says. "Impossible," another retorts. "Not impossible, just extremely difficult." "This is his life's obsession. You think he's going to keep quiet
- [What do Labour moderates do with this poll?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-do-labour-moderates-do-with-this-poll/) - A YouGov poll out today, with the fieldwork having been done just last week, makes extremely sober reading for anyone within Labour or indeed anyone on the centre-left generally who isn't down with Project Corbyn. Labour members were asked if they thought Corbyn was doing well or badly as leader. The numbers are: WELL 72%
- [The EU referendum: common wisdom accrues in one direction. Is it correct though?](https://nicktyrone.com/the-eu-referendum-common-wisdom-accrues-in-one-direction-is-it-correct-though/) - Today, George Osborne, Ed Balls and Vince Cable shared a platform to argue against Britain leaving the EU. It was all three flavours of mainstream political thinking in the this country telling us that Brexit would be a terrible thing. In other words, it's every mainstream party v UKIP on this one. And UKIP got
- [Boris Johnson becomes the latest British politician to mention Hitler](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-johnson-becomes-the-latest-british-politician-to-mention-hitler/) - Just when I was starting to recover from the bout of Hitler tourettes Ken Livingstone suffered a few weeks back, now we have BoJo in on the act. Speaking to the Telegraph, Boris evoked a grand theory of why the EU doesn't work that involved, you guessed it, the Nazis: "The truth is that the
- [Why are socially conservative autocrats the ones most obsessed with winning the Eurovision Song Contest?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-are-socially-conservative-autocrats-the-ones-most-obsessed-with-winning-the-eurovision-song-contest/) - This evening, the Eurovision Song Song Contest finals take place - as some of you are waiting on tenterhooks for, while others amongst you are no doubt dreading as your social media feed gets filled up with endless commentary on an event you could care less than nothing about (to this latter group: apologies in
- [I can see why Vote Leave are upset about Cameron v Farage](https://nicktyrone.com/i-can-see-why-vote-leave-are-upset-about-cameron-v-farage/) - During the AV campaign, we used to get upset when a TV network would bring on someone who wasn't directly involved with our campaign to speak supposedly on our behalf. It's frustrating - and can be disastrous. The best example was Chris Huhne talking about Goebbels (proving once again that bringing up the Nazis is
- [What the hell is going on in Wales?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-wales/) - For those of you less interested in the goings on in the Welsh Assembly than I am, allow me to tell you the extraordinary thing that happened there yesterday. A vote was taken to decide who would be the First Minister. This should have been relatively straightforward - Labour are short of a majority on
- [The new Leave.EU video is like an advert for why we should Remain in the European Union](https://nicktyrone.com/the-new-leave-eu-video-is-like-an-advert-for-why-we-should-remain-in-the-european-union/) - Leave.EU, the Arron Banks UKIPpy organisation that didn't get official campaign status over Vote Leave, demonstrated this week precisely why that was the case. They put forth a campaign ad that was like a Remain campaigner's wet dream. It featured badly edited scenes of Syrian immigrants in different parts of Europe, all with a voice
- [Corbyn-Khan dynamic will be the new Labour norm for a while](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-khan-dynamic-will-be-the-new-labour-norm-for-a-while/) - After Labour's less than apocalyptic (but still poor) local election showings in England, coupled with Sadiq Khan's victory in London, the coup of Jeremy Corbyn post EU referendum looks less likely than ever. What is most interesting about this is that while Khan becoming mayor has theoretically helped Corbyn, at least in the short term,
- [I have started to worry that Boris will be prime minister no matter what](https://nicktyrone.com/i-have-started-to-worry-that-boris-will-be-prime-minister-no-matter-what/) - Another day, another Cameron v Boris Europe spat. Cameron today has set out the "emotional" case for Remain, while Boris is apparently laying out the "liberal" case for Leave. That sentence leaves no further room for satire, so I will leave it there. In arguing so vociferously for something a lot of Tories do not
- [Sadiq Khan is British progressive politics' one ray of hope](https://nicktyrone.com/sadiq-khan-is-british-progressive-politics-one-ray-of-hope/) - Whatever some of the Left might tell you, last Thursday was for the most part a very good day for the Tories. They became the official opposition in Scotland, something that would have been totally unthinkable even a couple of years ago. This is one of those achievements that will reverberate through British politics for
- [Thursday's result was the worst possible one for the Labour Party in a way](https://nicktyrone.com/thursdays-result-was-the-worst-possible-one-for-the-labour-party/) - The local elections were nowhere near as bad as many (myself included) had predicted for Labour. The 150+ losses never materialised. Labour lost seats in England, but far below anyone's expectations. Well, except for Jeremy Corbyn who had told the world that the party would lose no seats at all, but he's usually a special
- [Yesterday's elections: here's what we know so far](https://nicktyrone.com/yesterdays-elections-heres-what-we-know-so-far/) - We're a long way from knowing the full picture (we will by early tonight), but there a few things that are becoming clearer already regarding yesterday's elections. Let's start with Scotland. It looks as though just when you thought Scottish Labour couldn't fall any further, another negative milestone is reached. The Tories have beaten Labour for
- [Another Corbyn catastrophe in the Commons](https://nicktyrone.com/another-corbyn-catastrophe-in-the-commons/) - I'm getting bored of this myself. Seriously, I am. By this stage, I'm really only cataloguing everything so that one day the centre-left can rebuild - think of these article as breadcrumbs back to sanity then - or failing that, as a document to where the Left finally killed itself in Britain for all time.
- [Corbyn tells the world that tomorrow's election results essentially don't matter to him](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-tells-the-world-that-thursdays-results-essentially-dont-matter/) - We live in an age when if someone says to you at the end of a day, "did you hear about the Corbyn thing?", you can't be sure that the questioner and you are thinking of the same thing since there will have been "multiple things" to have occurred to the Labour leader over the previous
- [How Labour's week has been Ionesco-esque](https://nicktyrone.com/how-labours-week-has-been-ionesco-esque/) - The word "Kafkaesque" gets overused in politics, often by people who have never read a word of the late Czech genius. Looking back over the week the Labour Party has just had, I can see people reaching for the literary comparisons. I think the giant of letters who would have most likely come up with
- [A word about the EU referendum polls at present - if you want to understand them, look back to AV referendum ones from the same period out](https://nicktyrone.com/a-word-about-the-eu-referendum-polls-at-present-if-you-want-to-understand-them-looks-back-to-av-referendum-polls/) - I know, I've made a lot of comparisons between the current EU referendum campaigns and the ones fought prior to the AV referendum. Some might say I'm simply trying to graft one experience of nationwide referenda onto a completely different situation. I would respond by saying I really, really did expect this all to feel
- [I wish Corbyn could understand what he looks like when he does stuff like this](https://nicktyrone.com/i-wish-corbyn-could-understand-what-he-looks-like-when-he-does-stuff-like-this/) - Yesterday, Corbyn had another one of his now infamous run-ins with the press. A Sky reporter asked him about anti-semitism (what else?) as he was about to enter a building and Jeremy did what he usually does in these kinds of situations: pull a face that is a combination of a deer in the headlights
- [Corbyn insisting that Labour has no problem with anti-semitism is making the problem worse](https://nicktyrone.com/corbyn-insisting-that-labour-has-no-problem-with-anti-semitism-is-making-the-problem-worse/) - You know the old adage that says you've lost an argument the moment you bring up Adolf Hitler for any reason? Ken Livingstone proved that yesterday rather definitively. He also showed us conclusively that trying to explain something via the author of the Final Solution is a bad idea in politics, period. Particularly when you're
- [Why 2016 Scottish Labour have become a bit like the 2015 Lib Dems](https://nicktyrone.com/2016-scottish-labour-become-bit-like-2015-lib-dems/) - Scottish Labour are in a wee spot of bother, it is safe to say without controversy. Having been reduced from being the unquestionable top political force in Scotland to facing the prospect of coming third in the fast approaching MSP elections in a still astonishingly brief period of time remains, well, pretty astonishing. Kezia Dugdale is
- [Why today's PMQs show how little Corbyn gets it](https://nicktyrone.com/why-todays-pmqs-show-how-little-corbyn-gets-it/) - I stopped punching the Corbyn bag a little while back. Part of that came down to getting bored of saying the same thing in different ways; part of it was that the EU speech gave me some hope for the guy. Not much, I stress - but at least enough to give the bloke a
- [What to make of Theresa May's EU speech? A review](https://nicktyrone.com/what-to-make-of-theresa-mays-eu-speech-a-review/) - The Home Secretary made her first intervention into the EU referendum debate yesterday with a sizable speech on the topic. Given many had assumed she would be on the Leave side of the debate a few months back, the substance of the speech made for an interesting listen. I'll start with the positives. I liked
- [I don't think I can handle another eight and a half weeks of EU referenduminess](https://nicktyrone.com/i-dont-think-i-can-handle-another-eight-and-a-half-weeks-of-eu-referenduminess/) - I recall vividly the day a couple of weeks ago when the designations for the official campaigns of the EU referendum were announced. As expected, Stronger In and Vote Leave got the respective nods. Then Arron Banks said he was going to contest the decision - meaning the referendum might have to be postponed until October
- [Why the Brexiteers are wrong about Obama and the "back of the queue"](https://nicktyrone.com/why-the-brexiteers-are-wrong-about-obama-and-the-back-of-the-queue/) - Needless to say, those who favour Britain leaving the EU were none too pleased with the president of the United States' speech on the subject this Friday gone. Their reactions ranged from the somewhat sensible (the fact that America would never sign itself up to something like the European Union) to the downright barmy (Boris
- [Could this person - not Trump, Hillary or Cruz - become the next president of the United States?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-this-person-not-trump-hillary-or-cruz-become-the-next-president-of-the-united-states/) - For those of you watching the US presidential primaries with horror/interest, here's a question: why is John Kasich hanging in there still? He has almost 700 fewer delegates than Donald Trump, with only 733 of them left to play for in total. He's almost out of mathematical contention - and he's obviously out of any
- [Prince leaves this plane: a retrospective](https://nicktyrone.com/prince-leaves-this-plane-a-retrospective/) - The artist born Prince Rogers Nelson died yesterday evening in his Minneapolis studio, at the age of 57, for as yet unknown causes. I would ideally like to add here that it is rare that musical figures of his stature die, but 2016 seems to be a year very much filled with such passings - and
- [Marine Le Pen and the EU referendum - please let this happen](https://nicktyrone.com/marine-le-pen-and-the-eu-referendum-please-let-this-happen/) - Word reaches us that Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right Front National and daughter of infamous quasi-fascist Jean-Marie Le Pen (who also led FN), is thinking of coming to London to campaign for Brexit. A few outlets have run the story, including The Guardian which included this understatement of epic proportions in their
- [Leave.EU is a wonderful gift to pro-Europeans](https://nicktyrone.com/leave-eu-is-a-wonderful-gift-to-pro-europeans/) - As I have said many times before, I cannot wait until June 23rd comes and goes and we can (hopefully, so long as we vote to Remain) stop talking about the EU every second of the day in increasingly inane ways. The one thing I will really miss - and I mean this in all sincerity -
- [The problem for the Left is that it is stuck between two opposing views of the world](https://nicktyrone.com/the-problem-for-the-left-is-that-they-are-stuck-between-two-opposing-views-of-the-world/) - There's been an interesting debate regarding the so-called "citizen's income" on both the Left and Right in Britain over the last couple of years. The idea has gained more traction on the Left, with the Greens making it official policy (sort of) in the run in to the last general election. But the reasons many
- [Why has David Davis said this?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-has-david-davis-said-this/) - What is it that the man who came second to David Cameron last time there was a leadership contest within the Conservative Party has said that I question? First of all to preface, he mentioned that if the country votes to Leave on June 23rd, David Cameron should remain as prime minister. So far, so
- [Predictions for the May 2016 elections](https://nicktyrone.com/predictions-for-the-may-2016-elections/) - With all the EU referendum stuff going on, it can sometimes be easy to forget that there are a large round of elections on May 5 - and furthermore that they could be important enough to have as much impact on the rest of this parliament as said EU referendum will. So taking them one
- [Tory Brexiteers should stop using anti-austerity rhetoric](https://nicktyrone.com/tory-brexiteers-should-stop-using-anti-austerity-rhetoric/) - For some time now, I have noted with interest what happens when politicians who are on the economic right within British politics and who also happen to favour Brexit find those two things clashing with one another. Without exception, the desire for Brexit wins. A great example was during the Greek debt crisis of 2015,
- [Finally......Jeremy Corbyn delivers on Europe](https://nicktyrone.com/finally-jeremy-corbyn-delivers-on-europe/) - As you well know, I am no Jeremy Corbyn fan. But his speech at Senate House (which Corbyn himself pointed out was what Orwell had based the Ministry of Truth in "1984" upon) this morning left me with little to quibble with. How about this for an opening: "The Labour party is overwhelmingly for staying
- [Why are all the "leaders of the revolution" old white guys?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-are-all-the-leaders-of-the-revolution-old-white-guys/) - We are living through a period when the politics of outrage is all the rage. When large portions of the populace across the western world yearn - and sometimes even vote - for politicians who try and push the "Overton window" either to the left or right. Nigel Farage, Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn, Donald Trump
- [Cameron will probably survive the tax scandal - because of Labour and its supporters](https://nicktyrone.com/cameron-will-probably-survive-the-tax-thing-because-of-labour/) - This past weekend, Polly Toynbee was on the Andrew Marr Show, speaking about the Cameron Panama affair. The crucial thing she had to say during the spot was this: “That’s the real story, it’s not really about him having done anything abnormal for people as rich as him, it’s about simply being that rich —
- [The way the right of centre press have responded to the spectre of Brexit has been extraordinary](https://nicktyrone.com/the-way-the-right-of-centre-press-have-responded-to-brexit-has-been-extraordinary/) - Back in January, I wrote speculating what the right of centre press would be doing around this exact time now in regards to Brexit. "The Daily Telegraph have taken an even harder Eurosceptic line over the last six months than they had previously held. But they don’t call it the Torygraph for nothing – butting
- [A new slant on the £9.3 million leaflets - why are they costing so much exactly?](https://nicktyrone.com/a-new-slant-on-the-9-3-million-leaflets-why-are-they-costing-so-much-exactly/) - A large portion of the Conservative Party is up in arms over the idea that £9.3 million of public dosh is set to be spent on a leaflet promoting the idea of Britain remaining in the European Union. Even some very passionate pro-European Tories are decrying the move, saying Cameron may have endangered his premiership
- [To those who want Cameron to resign: be careful what you wish for](https://nicktyrone.com/to-those-who-want-cameron-to-resign-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/) - David Cameron has handled the offshore tax avoidance thing very badly, I think we can now declare. So badly, in fact, that we should now discuss the idea that it has threatened the future of his premiership. A lot of people out there, particularly on the left or centre-left of politics, would love to see
- [Farage goes to Scotland: what are UKIP for anyhow?](https://nicktyrone.com/farage-goes-to-scotland-what-are-ukip-for-anyhow/) - I thought by this time, with mid-April almost upon us, I'd be sick to death of Nigel Farage. Yet I haven't actually seen or heard much from him of late. Perhaps he's finally got the message that his brand of pub wisdom popping up everywhere isn't that great for the Leave side's chances, but I
- [Here's a situation that could even be worse for America than Trump as the Republican presidential nominee](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-a-situation-that-could-even-be-worse-for-america-than-trump-as-the-republican-presidential-nominee/) - Cruz beat Trump in Wisconsin this week, halting the runaway momentum of The Donald, at least for now. Trump is still reasonably ahead in terms of delegates - the question that looms into view now is what happens if he is unable to wrap up the nomination prior to the Republican Convention in July. If
- [Electing Corbyn as leader was Labour's "Self Portrait" moment](https://nicktyrone.com/electing-corbyn-as-leader-was-labours-self-portrait-moment/) - In 1970, Bob Dylan released an album entitled "Self Portrait". Previously the darling of the international rock press, Dylan was instantly pilloried for what was seen by many as an intentionally awful record. Greil Marcus famously wrote a four word review of the album - "What is this shit?" - and it caused others to
- [The Scottish Tories should leave the Conservative fold and start their own party](https://nicktyrone.com/the-scottish-tories-should-leave-the-conservative-fold-and-start-their-own-party/) - Leaders debates in Scotland are underway. Early noise on them is what you'd expect: Nicola Sturgeon dominant, Kezia trying hard to make Labour still sound relevant to Scots, but not quite making it; the Lib Dems and Greens struggling for relevance as well; Ruth Davidson looking like she should be the leader of the opposition
- [Bringing the NHS into the EU debate is silly - for both sides](https://nicktyrone.com/bringing-the-nhs-into-the-eu-debate-is-silly-for-both-sides/) - For those hoping the run-in to the EU referendum on June 23rd would contain some arguments of intellectual substance, I think this latest piece of news puts that idea to bed for good: both sides of the EU debate have decided to bring up the NHS as a possible bargaining chip in the fight for
- [Why Boris Johnson could end up like Ted Kennedy](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-johnson-could-end-up-like-edward-kennedy/) - Ted Kennedy entered the 1980 Democratic primaries as the favourite to clinch the presidential nomination. Amongst Democrats, he held a 25-point advantage over the sitting president, Jimmy Carter (whose national approval ratings were in the low-20s to high-teens at the time) before the race began. Ted had long been the almost man of Democrat politics
- [The real problem for Corbyn is that he's mostly Ed Miliband revisited - just even less competent and electorally appealing](https://nicktyrone.com/real-problem-corbyn-hes-mostly-ed-miliband-revisited-just-even-less-competent-electorally-appealing/) - Looking at current Labour economic policy is striking - and not in the way that many casual observers might expect. Let's examine the essence of McDonnell's "fiscal credibility lock" for instance: "day-to-day spending would not exceed government income although there would be scope for borrowing for capital investment" says the shadow chancellor. Okay, sorry to say this, but that
- [Yes, the ONS should tell the truth to the public about immigration - the whole truth](https://nicktyrone.com/yes-the-ons-should-tell-the-truth-to-the-public-about-immigration-the-whole-truth/) - The UK Statistics Authority have written a letter to the Office for National Statistics calling for clarity on immigration numbers, citing a "speculation about the quality" of the migration figures the ONS is pumping out. Other than painting an amusing picture of statisticians having a punch up, this story adds another angle to the whole
- [Here's the thing about Project Fear: it works](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-the-thing-about-project-fear-it-works/) - One thing we often hear these days from the commentariat is how "Project Fear" - trying to win a referendum by scaring the voting public into going the way you'd like them to - failed in Scotland and is failing in the EU referendum. Whether this strategy is actually deficient in regards to the current
- [Vote to leave the EU - if you want two more years of this at least](https://nicktyrone.com/vote-to-leave-the-eu-if-you-want-two-more-years-at-least-of-this/) - During the AV campaign, the No side had a whole wing of comms dedicated to doing down the idea of having the referendum in the first place. A "why are we having a vote on an electoral system that no one knows anything about when there are children dying in the streets?" sort of a
- [Could Chilcot really stymie the Labour leadership coup?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-chilcot-really-stymie-the-labour-leadership-coup/) - It's kind of an open secret in Westminster these days that Labour MPs whom after this week we could slip into the categories labelled "hostile" and "core group negative" (and perhaps those 17 MPs who didn't even get categorised at all by Corbyn's crew) are serious about attempting to defenestrate Jeremy after the EU referendum.
- [Why are the only watchable rom-coms these days made for children?](https://nicktyrone.com/why-are-the-only-watchable-rom-coms-these-days-made-for-children/) - My four year old daughter has developed a fascination with vampires of late. This is how I ended up sitting in front of "Hotel Transylvania", a feature length cartoon about an overprotective father who happens to be Dracula and his attempts to keep his own daughter from falling in love with a human being. The
- [Does David Cameron have to quit as prime minister after June 23rd - regardless of the result?](https://nicktyrone.com/does-david-cameron-have-to-quite-as-prime-minister-after-june-23rd-regardless-of-the-result/) - Alexander Temerko, a reasonably large Tory donor, has announced to the world - via that well known, right-leaning outlet, The Guardian - that whatever happens in the EU referendum, David Cameron should step down as quickly as possible after June 23rd. “The Conservative party is fracturing following the resignation of Iain Duncan Smith and the
- [Why Boris is starting to remind me of Donald Trump](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-is-starting-to-remind-me-of-donald-trump/) - I have a confession to make: whenever I'm at Tory party conference (I attend all the party conferences every autumn), I try and clear time to see Boris' speech. There is no equivalent at any other conference - I have never thought "can't miss Emily Thornberry" while at Labour. To do this isn't as simple
- [Homegrown reaction to the horror in Brussels demonstrates how deep the European divide is in Britain](https://nicktyrone.com/the-horror-in-brussels-demonstrates-how-deep-the-european-divide-in-in-britain/) - After the attacks in Brussels yesterday, several Eurosceptic voices used the events as a way of arguing that Brexit was more necessary than ever. Alison Pearson, the columnist, wrote about how Brussels was the jihadist capital of Europe, and how its position as the de facto capital of Europe somehow discredited the whole European project.
- [The official opposition suddenly springs to life - in spite of Jeremy Corbyn](https://nicktyrone.com/the-official-opposition-suddenly-springs-to-life-in-spite-of-jeremy-corbyn/) - At long last! Labour takes advantage of Tory weakness. Stephen Crabb, the new Work and Pensions Secretary, was subjected to the sort of grilling we haven't seen come from the opposition benches in a good long while. Yvette Cooper and Liam Byrne earn special mention. They ruthlessly went to town on Crabb, asking repeatedly what the
- [Here's how the next two years of Conservative Party travails will go](https://nicktyrone.com/heres-how-the-next-two-years-of-conservative-party-travails-will-go/) - I'll nail my colours to the mast here, straight off: I don't see how Osborne becomes prime minister from here. A lot of commentators are saying the same thing, but are hedging their bets, saying George has wounded himself, perhaps fatally, but there is probably some way back from this budget. No hedging about it from
- [The way the Right have turned on Osborne is laden with hypocrisy](https://nicktyrone.com/the-way-the-right-have-turned-on-osborne-is-laden-with-hypocrisy/) - I know many of you out there reading this have, it is fair to say, never been fans of George Osborne. However, spare a moment to consider how quickly the Right have turned on him - for supposedly moral reasons as well. This excerpt from Janet Daley's Telegraph article yesterday sums up perfectly this new,
- [Could Osborne's budget blues affect whether we stay in the EU or not?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-osbornes-budget-blues-affect-whether-we-stay-in-the-eu-or-not/) - It is a really weird time in British politics. There are strange currents going this way and that, breaking down traditional right-left thought patterns. Europe is the classic issue in this regard. Most Labour MPs want the UK to remain a member of the EU. However, the success of this partly rests on a Tory
- [Is there a "conservative" viewpoint on disability benefits that can achieve consensus on the right?](https://nicktyrone.com/is-there-a-conservative-viewpoint-on-disability-benefits-that-can-achieve-consensus/) - One of the big things to come from this year's budget (other than the sugar tax and endless speculation about what Osborne is up to and whether it will work or not) was the cuts to disability benefits. What's interesting about for me about the debate on the right is that cuts to disability benefits
- [Budget 2016: it's amazing how far George Osborne suddenly feels from being prime minister](https://nicktyrone.com/budget-2016-its-amazing-how-far-george-osborne-suddenly-feels-from-being-prime-minister/) - Only a few short months ago, it was accepted wisdom within Westminster that George Osborne was going to become the next prime minister. "The one chart that shows how George Osborne is almost certainly going to be our next Prime Minister," the Independent declared back before 2015 conference season, and that is but one of
- [If the country votes to leave the EU in June, the Tories could face a huge backlash on immigration](https://nicktyrone.com/if-the-country-votes-to-leave-the-eu-in-june-the-tories-will-face-a-huge-backlash-on-immigration/) - I'm Immigration is one of the key planks of the Vote Leave argument. No wonder: in terms of trying to get the British public keyed up about the EU, immigration is the one thing that does it for a large portion of the population. This is oddly one of the reasons the Brexiteers in the Conservative
- [It's obvious now what Labour should have done after the 2015 election](https://nicktyrone.com/its-obvious-now-what-labour-should-have-done-after-the-2015-election/) - Having just read the full report on Labour's loss in May 2015, helpfully supplied by Stephen Bush at the New Statesman (the report, not the election result, just to be clear), I have come to finally understand what it was that the Labour Party should have done after losing the election. Some have speculated that
- [Why Boris talking about Obama was a bad move](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-talking-about-obama-was-a-bad-move/) - I know I'm writing about BoJo (BoGo now?) a lot at present, but I just can't help it. He's popping up practically every day with some new, ill-advised piece of "wisdom". I never thought I'd say this, but Boris is the new Corbyn. Yesterday it was about Barack Obama. From his Telegraph column came this:
- [Why Boris is wrong about Canada](https://nicktyrone.com/why-boris-is-wrong-about-canada/) - For a while I have been saying that the EU Leavers have no clear vision of what Out looks like. But finally, Boris has shown me what Brexit will mean. If we vote to leave on June 23rd, Britain will be more like.....Canada. “What I think we should do is strike a new free trade
- [Does the Dan Jarvis Demos speech mean the start of a coup against Corbyn?](https://nicktyrone.com/does-the-dan-jarvis-demos-speech-mean-the-start-of-a-coup-against-corbyn/) - Yesterday, Labour MP Dan Jarvis gave a speech at the Demos think tank that had some of the political press in a tizzy. "Dan Jarvis sets out his vision for Labour as leadership talk mounts," announced a Guardian headline. "Labour backbencher Dan Jarvis is to fuel rumours over his leadership ambitions by setting out his
- [Eurosceptics pining for lost sovereignty want something that no longer exists](https://nicktyrone.com/eurosceptics-pin/) - The Eurosceptics, it has been said by many, have no clear narrative in this referendum. That's a little harsh - sure, they have nothing even approximating a consensus on what life outside of the EU looks like for Great Britain (which is fairly important), and sure, they are scrambling all over the place coming up with
- [The latest argument for Brexit involves.........puppies. I'm serious](https://nicktyrone.com/the-latest-argument-for-brexit-involves-puppies-im-serious/) - David Amess, the Tory MP, has come up with another reason the UK should leave the EU. Apparently the country is being overrun by foreign dogs. Really, I'm not making this one up - I know Amess got done over by Chris Morris years ago on the infamous "Brass Eye" drugs episode, all on the
- [I'm tired of talking about Europe already, so instead I'll talk about......Europe](https://nicktyrone.com/im-tired-of-talking-about-europe-already-so-instead-ill-talk-about-europe/) - I've just spent three days in Barcelona. It was the first time I've been away from London on something other than business in how long I genuinely cannot recall. I hadn't been to the city in almost twelve years, and my previous visit was a very different one. Back then, I spent a month in
- [Another interesting Tory fault line emerges](https://nicktyrone.com/another-interesting-tory-fault-line-emerges/) - George Osborne wants to change Sunday trading laws to better reflect the 21st century society we live in. I guess by that last sentence it is pretty clear where I stand on that particular issue. However, lest anyone charge in to start calling me a Tory (not that I'm not already used to such things),
- [This is why all of our politicians aren't very good these days](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-why-all-of-our-politicians-arent-very-good-these-days/) - It is not hard to feel more than a little depressed about the current state of politics - or the current state of politicians. Last night I was reflecting about the possibility of Donald Trump becoming president of the United States of America, of Jeremy Corbyn being the only electoral option open in regards to
- [Could the Tories come second in Scotland in May?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-the-tories-come-second-in-scotland-in-may/) - Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, will today announce a £640 million investment in Scotland. It will be specifically around renewing Trident with an emphasis on how the Tories want to protect the thousands of jobs directly related to Trident and its renewal in Scotland - while Labour wants to scrap the deterrent altogether, a comparison
- [Osborne faces greater threats from his own backbenchers than from John McDonnell](https://nicktyrone.com/osborne-faces-greater-threats-from-his-own-backbenchers-than-from-mcdonnell/) - Yesterday's Treasury Questions were interesting - I mean, for people who could ever find Treasury Questions sessions interesting, obviously. Osborne found them tough going this week, which is rare these days. But it wasn't because Jon McDonnell had a good week. In fact, even by McDonnell's incredibly low standards this week's edition was stunningly poor.
- [So why won't Jeremy Corbyn share a platform with David Cameron exactly?](https://nicktyrone.com/so-why-wont-jeremy-corbyn-share-a-platform-with-david-cameron-exactly/) - Corbyn is like the old buses showing up adage - he's quiet for ages and then a flurry of ill-advised activity is flung at us. So following his decision to hire a former Syriza politician as an adviser, Corbyn takes to ITV last night to tell us that despite sharing the same basic viewpoint as
- [Things get worse for Labour: Corbyn hires Varoufakis](https://nicktyrone.com/things-get-worse-for-labour-corbyn-hires-varoufakis/) - There was a piece in the Telegraph yesterday announcing that Corbyn was getting the former Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, to advise Labour in "some capacity". At first I thought this was probably the Telegraph blowing nothing up into something, in other words McDonnell had had a coffee with the guy or something, that's it,
- [The problem for Brexiteers is they are fighting the EU campaign using their opponent's language already](https://nicktyrone.com/the-problem-for-brexiteers-is-they-are-fighting-the-eu-campaign-using-their-opponents-language-already/) - There was an article in the Telegraph a couple of days ago that beautifully summarises what the article you are about to read is about. It was by Richard Walton and the headline stated: "Brexit wouldn't jeopardise our fight against terrorism". Seasoned campaigners should be able to point out the glaring fault in that sentence
- [The Conservative Party isn't going to split over Europe](https://nicktyrone.com/the-c/) - I have been a contributor once or twice to the discussion on the realignment of British politics over the previous few years. After the last general election, I like many who wasn't all that thrilled with the result, consoled myself the notion that the EU referendum would see a possible split in the Conservative Party.
- [Why I'm supporting Sadiq Khan for London mayor](https://nicktyrone.com/why-im-supporting-sadiq-khan-for-london-mayor/) - I have been undecided for a while in regards to who I would like to be the next mayor of London. Part of me likes Zac's rebellious, think outside the box thing. Also, I have worried that Sadiq winning would be a victory for Corbyn. But now I've weighed up everything and come to a decision:
- [More and more, the Leave campaign resembles Yes to AV](https://nicktyrone.com/more-and-more-the-leave-campaign-resembles-yes-to-av/) - I've actually written about this before, but this week I really do need to say it again: the Leave campaign at present eerily resembles one of the AV referendum campaigns, and not the side that won. The most immediately relevant piece of evidence for this being the already legendary Mandy Boylett "Three Lions" video that
- [Nadine Dorries, Cameron, and who is prime minister - why this helps the Remain side of the debate](https://nicktyrone.com/nadine-dorries-cameron-and-who-is-prime-minister-why-this-helps-the-remain-side-of-the-debate/) - Yesterday, Nadine Dorries, Tory MP and erstwhile game show contestant, took to LBC to say some things about the EU referendum debate. I shouldn't have to actually say this but just to confirm, Dorries is a Brexiteer. But she had this to say about David Cameron, which is interesting: "If the British public vote to
- [This is one of the best arguments for Remain - and Cameron is finally using it](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-one-of-the-best-arguments-for-remain-and-cameron-is-finally-using-it/) - There are many arguments concerning why the UK should remain a member of the European Union that I have been waiting for David Cameron to use for months now. But he finally used one in particular yesterday for the first time. It's a simple one: if we voted to leave in the referendum, it wouldn't
- [Interpreting the Boris doorstep speech](https://nicktyrone.com/interpreting-the-boris-doorstep-speech/) - So Boris has gone for Leave; but as he gave the media advance warning on that score, we all knew it was coming. He held the media scrum outside his front door, keeping them waiting for his big out of the closet speech on the EU. Only it wasn't much of a speech in the
- [Boris has blown his big chance](https://nicktyrone.com/boris-has-blown-his-chance/) - Now that we have the "Gang of Six", the members of Cameron's cabinet who have decided to break ranks and openly support Brexit, one of their ranks being Michael Gove, everyone is waiting to see which side in the EU debate Boris will support. The London mayor has said previously that he will come down with
- [Cameron gets his deal: the good, the bad and the ugly](https://nicktyrone.com/cameron-gets-his-deal-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/) - In the end, Cameron got the deal he was after. You can say it's a good deal for Britain, you can say it's a bad deal.....you can say that a renegotiated position within the EU is a great place for Britain to be, at least for the moment, or you can say that we're just
- [What happens if Cameron can't reach a deal today in Brussels?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-happens-if-cameron-cant-reach-a-deal-today-in-brussels/) - Talks on Britain's renegotiation deal with the EU dragged on until 5:30 AM this morning, and yet no deal was agreed by that time. They are apparently up and running again now. If this is all elaborate last minute stage playing of differences, then it is being done with Lawrence Oliver style thespian brilliance by
- [Ken Livingstone reveals the Corbynite bid to take the PLP out of the leadership equation](https://nicktyrone.com/ken-livingstone-reveals-the-corbyn-bid-to-take-the-plp-out-of-the-leadership-equation/) - Ken Livingstone has popped up in the media again, acting as usual these days like the Corbynite's wandering Id. This time it's about how (he thinks anyhow) Corbyn and his acolytes plan to bypass the PLP and rule the party forever more. It involves removing the PLP from the nominations process altogether, via the National
- [Prince William and the European Union](https://nicktyrone.com/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
- [What is going to happen on Friday?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-is-going-to-happen-on-friday/) - So we've reached crunch time on Cameron's EU renegotiation project. It appears that a full deal, whatever that entails, will be announced this Friday, along with the final date of the referendum itself (which looks more and more likely to be June 23rd). There's always room for it to go pear-shaped, but that seems unlikely.
- [How these GMB comments are telling about the relationship between Corbyn and the unions](https://nicktyrone.com/how-these-gmb-comments-are-telling-about-the-relationship-between-corbyn-and-the-unions/) - During the Labour leadership race in the summer, the trade unions as a bloc openly supported Jeremy Corbyn as their preferred candidate. There were probably many easily understandable reasons for this. One of them could have been that they wanted to try and push the other candidates to the left on certain issues, thinking Corbyn
- [Momentum are delegitimising the Left - all of it, not just their bit](https://nicktyrone.com/momentum-are-delegitimising-the-left-all-of-it-not-just-their-bit/) - An article in the Telegraph today, "Revealed: The radical hard-left Momentum activists mounting a ruthless purge of Labour", paints a shocking picture of the pressure group Momentum. I was going to put "Labour" into the description of the organisation, but several of the members of Momentum's steering committee have spent some time in the past
- [Could the unions push for Brexit?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-the-unions-push-for-brexit/) - I've seen trade unions Euroscepticism up close and personal on more than one occasion. Most of it is the old left suspicion of the whole thing as some sort of capitalist conspiracy, designed to stop the socialist utopia from ever happening. In some senses, their instincts are correct - stealing people's land and nationalising it
- [Could there be a 2016 or 2017 general election?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-there-be-a-2016-or-2017-general-election/) - The Westminster rumour mill grinds out the possibility of another general election within less than two years time on the basis of Cameron stepping down earlier, his successor calling a general election based on the move, and Labour not being able to possibly stand in the way of it. This scuttlebutt comes via that amazing
- [Could this man be the next leader of the Conservative Party (and thus next prime minister)?](https://nicktyrone.com/could-this-man-be-the-next-leader-of-the-conservative-party-and-thus-next-prime-minister/) - I have speculated in the past about who would succeed David Cameron as Tory leader. I've said David Davis; I've also intimated that Owen Patterson might be a nailed on certainty. All of these predictions were predicated on certain things happening which in the end did not (such as Cameron failing to get a majority
- [As May 2015 showed, UKIP is not the obvious home for disgruntled Tories - the EU referendum won't change that](https://nicktyrone.com/as-may-2015-showed-ukip-is-not-the-obvious-home-for-disgruntled-tories-the-eu-referendum-wont-change-that/) - A man many of you will have never heard of by the name of John Strafford has reacted rather badly to David Cameron's "assault on constituency associations" this week, when the prime minister said that Tory MPs should basically not listen to their Eurosceptic members and instead hop on the Remain coach with the vast
- [I'm really sick of the Jeremy Corbyn-Bernie Sanders conflation. The two men are very, very different](https://nicktyrone.com/im-really-sick-of-the-jeremy-corbyn-bernie-sanders-conflation-they-are-very-very-different-in-key-ways/) - I don't want to pick on Owen Jones again, but I'm forced to. Yesterday he penned an article entitled "First Corbyn, now Sanders: how young voters' despair is fuelling movements on the left" which pretty much did what it says on the tin. The basic idea is that the rise of Corbyn and Sanders can
- [Where are all the female Eurosceptics?](https://nicktyrone.com/where-are-all-the-female-eurosceptics/) - There was an item on the BBC News earlier this week about the EU referendum campaigns. They did a piece from the offices of Vote Leave and one thing stood out beyond anything else: everyone you saw, in every single shot, was a man. In fact, all the blokes seemed to fit a similar pattern
- [Is it just possible the Tories want Zac Goldsmith to lose in London?](https://nicktyrone.com/is-it-just-possible-the-tories-want-zac-goldsmith-to-lose-in-london/) - Yesterday witnessed a London mayoral hustings in which all of the conceivable candidates for said position spoke. Those who were there and I consider reliable witnesses claim that Sadiq really won the night, with Zac being a little flat (and predictably, Galloway getting way too much floor time as he refused to shut up). There
- [So Cameron has announced his EU renegotiation deal. Now what?](https://nicktyrone.com/so-cameron-has-announced-his-eu-renegotiation-deal-now-what/) - Yesterday, in a factory in Wiltshire, David Cameron announced that he had agreed a deal with Donald Tusk (that needs to be ratified at the Brussels summit February 18 and 19th I hasten to add) essentially laying out what the British public will be voting for if they mark "Remain" on their ballot papers come
- [Is it just me or was "Firefly" really not very good?](https://nicktyrone.com/is-it-just-me-or-was-firefly-really-not-very-good/) - I realise two things. One, reviewing a TV show that came out in 2002 definitely puts me a decade and a half out of the loop. Two, give reverence for this show is on a monumental level for many sci-fi fans, I'm about to make some enemies here. I finally watched the first episode of "Firefly"
- [Cameron v Farage debate during the EU referendum short campaign? It might go something like this](https://nicktyrone.com/cameron-v-farage-debate-during-the-eu-referendum-short-campaign-it-might-go-like-this/) - At some point relatively soon, we will probably know the date the referendum that will determine whether or not the United Kingdom remains a member of the European Union. It will probably be June - it will probably be June 23rd. If that's the case, will we see some sort of "EU debate" on TV,
- [Migration crisis, summer 2016: how bad could it be?](https://nicktyrone.com/migration-crisis-summer-2016-how-bad-could-it-be/) - The West has been in denial about Syria in many, many ways since the civil war there kicked off in the spring of 2011. In denial about its reasonable proximity, preferring to think of the conflict as being something happening far away, with no impact on Europe; in denial about the idea that because the
- [What Cameron closing in on the four year deal means](https://nicktyrone.com/what-cameron-closing-in-on-the-four-year-deal-means/) - So after a week of dark clouds emerging from the Number 10 press office regarding Cameron's ability to get the renegotiation deal he wants fully signed off at the summit to be held on February 18 and 19th, in order to facilitate a June referendum, suddenly this morning we got some good news on that
- [Are the EU Leave campaigns in real trouble?](https://nicktyrone.com/are-the-leave-campaigns-in-real-trouble/) - There was a story in the Times this morning regarding Bernard Jenkins, a board member of Vote Leave, trying to oust its two main employees, Matthew Elliot and Dominic Cummings. This is pretty nuclear stuff given these are the two guys who have essentially run the campaign since its inception, and the man trying to
- [Are UKIP right in saying that BME voters could swing the EU referendum for the Leavers?](https://nicktyrone.com/are-ukip-right-in-saying-that-bme-voters-could-swing-the-eu-referendum-for-the-leavers/) - Steve Woolfe, a UKIP MEP who has that particular party's migration spokesperson role (which is the UKIP equivalent of getting shadow chancellor), said at an event yesterday that: "EU freedom of movement has led to unsustainable levels of European migration to Britain. A major consequence is that in trying to reduce net migration, the government has discriminated
- [This is what stands in the way of a Labour split more than anything else](https://nicktyrone.com/this-is-what-stands-in-the-way-of-a-labour-split-more-than-anything/) - When one surveys the landscape of the current Labour Party, the fact that a split doesn't loom larger in a lot of the PLP's thinking could baffle some with a less than voluminous knowledge of British political history. The membership seems to have turned to or been infiltrated completely by the far-left; given the way
- [Of course Ed Miliband was the main reason Labour didn't win the election](https://nicktyrone.com/of-course-ed-miliband-was-the-main-reason-labour-didnt-win-the-election/) - A new report on why Labour supposedly lost the election, authored by Margaret Beckett, has two main claims. One, that it's thorough. Two, that Ed Miliband being leader had nothing to do with it. I think these two assertions are mutually exclusive. Even more exciting (for someone like me who gets excited by such things),
- [What line will the various members of the right of centre press take on the EU referendum?](https://nicktyrone.com/what-line-will-the-various-members-of-the-right-of-centre-press-take-on-the-eu-referendum/) - This seems like a simple question to answer for some of you: they don't like the European Union, never have, so of course the right of centre press is going to stick to its guns and try and chide the British public into voting to leave the EU in what may be its only chance
- [Bulletin: Dan Hannan may actually have a point here about Europe](https://nicktyrone.com/bulletin-dan-hannan-may-actually-point-europe/) - There was an article in the Spectator late last week, authored by Dan Hannan, regarding what Brexit looks like as he sees it. I was excited - this is usually a topic the Eurosceptics run a mile from. And the piece was truly revealing. Hannan says that those campaigning for Britain to remain in the

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