Bears are gathering to welcome bullish Boris July 7, 2019 Did the economy shrink in the second quarter of the year? While it is impossible to be sure, we will get another clue this week when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes its GDP estimate for May – and so far, the signs are not good. Read more: Boris Johnson to crack down on [...]
UK going through a ‘political nervous breakdown’, says former MI6 chief July 6, 2019 The former head of MI6 has said that the UK is going through a “political nervous breakdown”. Sir John Sawers has taken aim at Tory leadership candidates Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, claiming that Britain could soon have a Prime Minister who does “not have the standing that we have become used to in our [...]
Boris Johnson to crack down on crime and demand immigrants speak English in latest campaign pledges July 6, 2019 Tory leadership candidate Boris Johnson has suggested that he will introduce tougher sentencing for violent or sexual offenders should he become Prime Minister. He also said that immigrants coming to the UK must learn English as he made a series of campaign pledges ahead of a busy Saturday for rival Jeremy Hunt and himself. Read [...]
Tory members ‘issued two ballots’ by mistake ahead of leadership vote July 6, 2019 A number of Conservative members have received two ballot papers to vote for the next party leader and Prime Minister. There are more than 1,000 members affected, the BBC has been told by a party insider. Read more: Hunt is right to take a firm line on China The Tory party warned voters that voting [...]
Boris Johnson denies being shut out of top secret meetings as foreign secretary July 5, 2019 Boris Johnson has denied claims he was frozen out of sensitive security meetings when he was foreign secretary, saying: “It’s not true.” Read more: Boris Johnson backs Hong Kong protestors ‘every inch of the way’ The Tory leadership frontrunner told a hustings in Darlington that he was “extremely dubious about the provenance of this story”. [...]
Hide and seek? Adventures in Borisland July 2, 2019 No-one who has observed British politics over the past 15 years could possibly think that Boris is shy of the media or dislikes his face appearing on the news. What on earth is going on?
Should 160,000 Tories choose our next Prime Minister? Yes, actually June 28, 2019 Discussing the Tory leadership election on Sky News earlier this week, host Adam Boulton asked me why the party members seemed so relaxed about Boris Johnson’s controversial private life. “Isn’t this the party of family values?” Boulton asked. It’s a fair point. Three quarters of the party’s 160,000 members believe that “young people today don’t [...]
Tory leadership contest: Boris Johnson plans emergency budget for no-deal Brexit June 28, 2019 Boris Johnson is set to outline an emergency budget featuring heavy tax cuts in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it is reported. Read more: Jeremy Hunt accuses Boris Johnson of getting Brexit facts wrong The Tory frontrunner and favourite to be Britain’s next Prime Minister has committed to leaving the EU with or without [...]
Entrepreneurs need a free market, not student loan giveaways from Jeremy Hunt June 28, 2019 Entrepreneurs are a frequent component of a politician’s stump speech. MPs love to boast about their regard for job creators. Regardless of which end of the political spectrum you’re on, if you put any importance on healthy economic growth, you know that these people are vital to our success. But for all the lip service [...]
Like Boris, Jeremy Hunt should be wary of promising spending splurges June 27, 2019 Earlier this week, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) performed a useful public service, placing Boris Johnson’s spending proposals under the microscope. The less-than-glowing conclusion was that the plans would be immensely expensive, and have the side-effect of helping wealthy retirees more than current workers. Today, the IFS has done the same favour for rival [...]