Opposition MPs agree tactics to stop PM’s no deal Brexit August 27, 2019 Opposition parties have ditched plans for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, instead agreeing to seize control of the Brexit end game through a legislative takeover. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn held crunch talks in Westminster today, a week before parliament returns from recess, to try and build a consensus around him leading [...]
Tom Watson leaves shadow cabinet meeting early over second referendum splits April 30, 2019 Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson walked out of a shadow cabinet meeting today in a bust-up over leader Jeremy Corbyn’s position on a second Brexit referendum. Watson denied reports he stormed out of the meeting after copies of the party's EU manifesto document were not shared with the cabinet. Read more: Labour could bypass second [...]
Only an election can sail the ship of state through the Brexit storms September 9, 2019 “The world is not interested in the storms you encountered, but did you bring in the ship?” So wrote the twentieth-century writer of sea stories, William McFee. While the quote has some of the barnacles of age, it’s a good challenge to those seeking to steer the ship of state. For the briefly-abated Brexit hurricane [...]
EU leaders tell UK the Brexit deal cannot be renegotiated May 28, 2019 EU leaders have ruled out any renegotiation of the Brexit deal as Theresa May once again called for MPs to compromise. Arriving for her final summit in Brussels on Tuesday, numerous leaders made it clear to May the proposal which has been rejected by the UK parliament three times was the only deal on offer. Outgoing [...]
London climate strikes: Thousands protest by capital’s landmarks September 20, 2019 Thousands of young people walked out of classrooms and schools this morning in the lead-up to next week’s climate change conference in New York. The students, de facto led by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, are striking in 150 different countries. Read more: DEBATE: Should companies be supportive of employees who want to take part in [...]
Meat Loaf Remainism is just a return to politics as usual August 16, 2019 I’ll give fellow journalist John Rentoul the credit for coming up with the term “Meat Loaf Remainism”, although he is just one of many commentators to have noted how the present political predicament resembles a certain epic nineties rock anthem. Like the lover who swears “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do [...]
Investor confidence over Brexit picks up despite ongoing uncertainty May 7, 2019 The number of investors that believe Brexit will have a positive impact on the economy has overtaken those with a negative outlook. Despite the ongoing uncertainty over the UK’s departure from the European Union, 41 per cent of high net worth individuals said Brexit will be good for the UK’s economy compared to 35 per [...]
December may not turn out to be the Brexit election after all October 25, 2019 I was 14 when I voted in my first election. Not for real, of course, but in a school-wide mock poll to get us all engaged with politics back in 2005. Sixth-form students assumed the role of candidates (one for each party) and published simplified manifestos based on what the national parties had put forward. [...]
Hancock says no-deal Brexit ‘highly unlikely’ as May attempts to reach cross-party withdrawal agreement with Labour April 4, 2019 Health secretary Matt Hancock today said a no-deal Brexit is “very unlikely” as the Prime Minister attempts to seal a Brexit deal with Labour. Read more: Police warn MPs and campaigners not to inflame Brexit tensions Hancock said securing the support of Labour MPs in the Commons was the only likelihood of Theresa May getting [...]
Rebel, rebel: Boris Johnson faces day two of Brexit defiance September 4, 2019 Westminster is still reeling from the events of last night, which saw more than 20 Tory MPs, including two ex-chancellors, were sacked after rebelling against Prime Minister Boris Johnson. But today promises to be just as dramatic – with the creeping possibility that the country will be going to the polls once again. Read more: [...]