General Election 2015: David Cameron to open 500 extra free schools if Conservatives win March 9, 2015 The Conservatives are set to double down on free schools, opening a further 500 if they win the General Election. In a speech today, David Cameron said that the government plans to create 270,000 new school places, on top of the final wave of 49 free schools to be opened during the final throws of [...]
Government motion to dethrone speaker John Bercow fails amid accusations of “grubby” politics March 26, 2015 House of Commons speaker John Bercow has narrowly avoided being dethroned after a motion to oust him failed by just 26 votes. Last night the government tabled a motion that would introduce a secret ballot for the re-election of the divisive speaker when parliament meets after the General Election. Every future speaker will [...]
MPs line up to chair Parliament’s select committees: The races to watch June 11, 2015 Nominations for the chair of each of Parliament's select committees closed last night, with MPs lining up to take control of some of the most influential boards. A secret ballot, where each MP has one vote for each committee, will take place on 17 June, City A.M. has examined each of the declared candidates for six [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: Everything we know so far including the EU referendum, devolution, Human Rights Act, income tax, housing and Scotland May 26, 2015 The Queen's Speech will unveil the Conservative government's policy agenda on Wednesday and having shed its coalition partner at the General Election, some pretty major shifts in policy are expected. Here are some of the top pledges expected to feature in the state opening of parliament tomorrow. EU referendum bill Having committed to holding an [...]
Welfare of Nations: Our debate about the future of the state is worryingly parochial April 6, 2015 In the aftermath of the Cold War, we were told that capitalism had won. Communism had been defeated, and we were entering Francis Fukuyama’s “End of History” – with capitalist liberal democracies the highest, and final, form of human government. But what if “capitalism” versus “communism” was always a false dichotomy? What if the truly [...]
Downing Street confirms that government will follow through on devolution September 21, 2014 The Prime Minister has moved to quell suggestions it won't deliver devolution as promised. What is devo max? Read our explainer here. There had been talk, fuelled by Michael Gove, that the transfer of certain powers to Scotland might hinge on restrictions on Scottish MPs' voting rights. A government source was unequivocal: There was an unambiguous [...]
Ukip-onomics: Slash aid, scrap HS2, raise taxes – Patrick O’Flynn discusses the credible manifesto December 7, 2014 Nigel Farage has spent years moulding Ukip into the perfect political anti-party. Bon-bons, beer and union flag bunting are in; political-correctness, strict party-lines and untouchable budgets are firmly out. But for how long? The anti-establishment teenager has grown into a young adult. At 21, the party is beginning to be taken seriously, having graduated to [...]
Scottish independence: Win or lose, Cameron is in for a rocky ride – View From Westminster September 16, 2014 David Cameron probably feels a bit like Noah at the moment, preparing for a great flood to come barrelling towards his ark, hoping the seals hold and praying there aren’t any leaks. But of course as any good DIY-er knows, there’s always a leak. And it’s usually in the place you least expect. The Prime [...]
David Cameron prepares for election battle with cabinet reshuffle July 16, 2014 David Cameron has fired the starting pistol in the race to win the general election next year, ridding his top ministerial ranks of dead wood and installing media-savvy MPs and spinners instead. The Prime Minister’s last reshuffle before the general election next May signals his intention to fight a tough campaign based on [...]
Bring back hanging! Capital punishment still supported 50 years after Britain’s last execution August 13, 2014 On the 50th anniversary of the last state execution in Britain, a YouGov poll has found that 45 per cent of people would bring it back – with UKIP supporters the most enthusiastic. Although the average number of those in favour of state execution has fallen since 2010, when it was 51 per cent, nearly [...]