Politics

Read about the latest UK political news, views and analysis.

Saturday

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Can Theresa May get the DUP back on board?

Westminster might it be on its Christmas holidays, but the question that is still on everyone in government’s mind is can Theresa May find a way to get the DUP to back her Brexit deal. As I write in The Sun this morning, key Cabinet Ministers believe that her only chance of winning the meaningful vote comes from getting the DUP on side. One Secretary of State who has kept open lines of communication with them, tells me that ‘by grim necessity, they will need something more than cosmetic concessions to vote for the deal’. This minister explains that ‘the DUP want a bankable reassurance that the backstop won’t be

Rod Liddle Rod Liddle

Jeremy Corbyn is either deeply sinister – or a total idiot

We’re closing 2018 by republishing our ten most-read articles of the year. Here’s No. 10: Rod Liddle on the leader of the opposition: The crowd were singing ‘Oh, Jeremy Corbyn’ again, at a festival in Cornwall, the words appended to a riff by the White Stripes which I once liked but now find a little nauseating. Vacuous, dimbo, middle-class millennials and — worse — their stupid, indulgent parents, all waving their hands in the air for Jezza. Meanwhile, the rest of us were trying to work out if Jeremy is a sort of even more retarded Forrest Gump and thus the most stupid man ever to lead a political party

Friday

Eric Kaufmann

The myth of white exceptionalism

The British government’s new white paper on immigration has been shaped by a social norm which argues that the white British ethnic majority’s interest in limiting the pace of cultural change and facilitating assimilation is racist. The emphasis on skills rather than numbers, on economic over cultural considerations, and on rebalancing immigration away from Europe speaks to this. The document reflects the thinking of both Brexit and Remain politicians. Yet it does not align with the motives of many who voted Leave, or a considerable chunk of those who voted Remain. These voters seek lower levels of immigration, and research shows that this is driven more by identity threat than

Brendan O’Neill Brendan O’Neill

Putin’s motives may be cynical but he’s still right about a second referendum

It is coming to something when Vladimir Putin has a better understanding of democracy than many in Britain’s own political class. When this not especially democratic bruiser from the East demonstrates greater respect for the will of the British people than some of our own leaders do. Yes, just when you thought 2018 couldn’t get any odder, here comes actual Vladimir Putin to put British politicos straight about the nature of democracy. Yesterday, Putin lashed out at those in Britain who want a second referendum — and presumably a third and a fourth and a fifth until the plebs finally relent and say: ‘Okay, okay, we’ll vote to stay in

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Why I think a no-deal Brexit is the best remaining option

There are about a dozen Cabinet members now who think the best strategy is to go full speed in preparing for a no-deal Brexit – if a better EU offer comes along, great, but if not then no-deal is better than the alternatives. In my Daily Telegraph column I say why I think they are probably right. It’s not an option that anyone can, or ought to be, enthusiastic about. All of the disruption (and there would be plenty) would stem from political failure on both sides. But it would be better than the alternatives. We are (or were) very close to an agreed deal. If Brussels just granted the UK the

Steerpike Steerpike

Fiona Onasanya gets tough on crime

In a dramatic end to the year, the Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was found guilty on Wednesday of perverting the course of justice, after a court found that she had lied to police about speeding to avoid putting points on her driving license. Bizarrely, the MP has since compared herself to Jesus and Moses, and hinted that she may continue on as an MP even though she has had the Labour whip withdrawn. But even if Onasanya is not the Messiah, she will still need God on her side in the new year, when she returns to court to be sentenced for her crimes. There, a judge will have the

Thursday

Katy Balls Katy Balls

Ivan Lewis resigns from Labour – what was his real motivation?

As Parliament rises for the Christmas recess, Jeremy Corbyn ends the term one MP down. Ivan Lewis has this afternoon quit the party citing Corbyn’s response to allegations of Labour anti-Semitism as a motivating factor. Complicating matters is the fact that Lewis – a former Labour minister – has been suspended by the party since November pending an internal party investigation into an allegation of sexual harassment. In his resignation letter, Lewis – MP for Bury South – says it was with ‘great sadness’ he had come to this decision to quit the party – before turning his ire on Corbyn’s handling of anti-Semitism allegations: ‘All too often you have been

Steerpike Steerpike

Fiona Onasanya’s not the Messiah, she’s a very naughty girl

As MPs begin to drift back to their constituencies this afternoon, there’s one MP who’s definitely not finished the year on a high. Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was found guilty yesterday of perverting the course of justice, after a court found that she had lied to police about speeding and using her mobile phone to avoid getting points on her driving license. Obviously being found guilty of a serious offence while being an elected representative would prompt some soul searching, but Onasanya has come up with a rather novel interpretation of what the judgment means for her. In a series of WhatsApp messages sent to her Labour colleagues (which have now been revealed

Steerpike Steerpike

New York Times strikes again: what if Brexit were a restaurant?

Here we go again. The New York Times has a habit these days of publishing pieces which take a rather dim view of Brexit Britain. The paper has published a questionable report on ‘austerity Britain’ complete with a slew of glaring omissions, news of Brits allegedly stockpiling food, an article on British cuisine with glaring inaccuracies and most recently asked UK citizens to get in touch with their accounts of experiencing petty crime in the capital. Now the paper has turned its ire on the UK franchise Bluebird London. The restaurant has opened shop in New York. The reviewer wasn’t impressed by the dishes on offer and so has naturally

Robert Peston Robert Peston

Are ministers ignoring what a Brexit no deal would really mean?

There is considerable straw-clutching in Whitehall and Westminster about the impact of a no-deal Brexit. For example, a respected and experienced minister contacted me last night to give me the good news that the European Commission had decided that, in the event of no-deal, the ports of Dover and Folkestone would be kept open “for nine months with no checks”. The minister had been given the great news in an internal departmental briefing. “Wow” I thought. And then “you what!” Because I had read the no-deal planning papers put out by the European Commission, and had somehow missed this dramatic capitulation by the EU, that would see the continuation of

Wednesday

Melanie McDonagh Melanie McDonagh

Is calling Theresa May a stupid person better than saying she’s a stupid woman?

There’s something about the ‘stupid woman’ controversy I am not getting. So, it’s fine to call someone a stupid person, but not fine to call her a ‘stupid woman’? It’s the qualifier, the adjective, not the noun, that makes the remark rude, though in the case of Theresa May I think Jeremy Corbyn is merely making a truthful observation, whether the noun be woman or people – as he maintains he said. Would it be equally problematic for Mrs May to call Mr Corbyn a stupid man? “Stupid” may be unparliamentary language, but I can think of a lot worse. She is a person, certainly, but she is also a

James Forsyth James Forsyth

John Bercow rules on the ‘stupid woman’ controversy

John Bercow has just ruled on the whole row about whether or not Jeremy Corbyn mouthed the words ‘stupid woman’ at PMQs today. Bercow said that the lip speakers he had consulted thought Corbyn had said that, but no lip speaker or lip reader could be 100 per cent sure what words were used. He then invited Corbyn to speak. Corbyn said that he didn’t say ‘stupid woman’ but ‘stupid people’ to which the Tory benches shouted ‘rubbish’. I think Bercow’s opinion was worse for Corbyn than expected. Given that Corbyn is denying he said it, Bercow could hardly say he wasn’t telling the truth. But Bercow’s decision to reference

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Theresa May kicks can down the road on key domestic reforms

Parliament rises for Christmas recess tomorrow – unless the various grinches arguing it should carry on sitting so it can loudly fail to make any decisions on Brexit have their way. MPs are so busy accusing Theresa May of kicking the can down the road on Britain leaving the European Union that few have noticed how many other cans are also bouncing along the tarmac. We had been expecting big announcements on social care reform, domestic abuse legislation and the NHS by the end of this term in Parliament, but all appear to have been delayed. The social care green paper had been delayed repeatedly anyway, but was expected this

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Tories unite in the chamber against Corbyn and Bercow

Extraordinary scenes in the House of Commons today. Tory MPs believed that Jeremy Corbyn muttered ‘stupid woman’ in Theresa May’s direction as she mocked him over his failure to call a confidence vote. (Corbyn’s spokesman has subsequently said that Corbyn said ‘stupid people’). During the session, Paul Scully, a Tory vice-chairman, asked about the issue obliquely. But then at the end of the session, Patrick McLoughlin—the former chief whip—bellowed for a point of order. Bercow initially refused to take it as Corbyn left the chamber. But in the face of huge anger from the Tory benches, Bercow relented. Bercow’s initial response was that neither he nor the clerks had seen

Ross Clark Ross Clark

The EU’s no-deal preparations make it clear: they want to make Britain suffer

When Boris Johnson was foreign secretary, he was admonished for accusing the EU of wanting to administer ‘punishment beatings’ to Britain for its temerity in wanting to leave the EU. In the months since it has become clear just how apt his description was. At every turn, the EU has acted with one aim in mind: to try to ensure that Britain suffers from exiting the EU, in order to deter other member states from contemplating leaving the bloc. Today’s memo from the EU, laying out the plans for what would happen in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit is a case in point. It is hard, reading this document,

Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Leadsom calls out Bercow’s own ‘stupid woman’ remarks

The House of Commons has descended into farce after PMQs this afternoon, following allegations that Jeremy Corbyn muttered under his breath that Theresa May was a stupid woman. The Speaker, John Bercow, responding to a point of order made after PMQs, said that as he did not see Corbyn’s utterance take place, he would take no action against him. But, confirmed that ‘individuals that are found to have made unwelcome remarks should apologise.’ In response, Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons then skewered Bercow by asking him why: ‘When an opposition member found that you [Bercow] had called me a ‘stupid woman’ you did not apologise in this chamber?’

Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Jeremy Corbyn appears to call Theresa May a stupid woman

Jeremy Corbyn could be in hot water following the final PMQs of the year. The Labour leader was filmed muttering something under his breath in response to Theresa May, and there is speculation that he called the PM a ‘stupid woman’. Corbyn started PMQs by saying to the Tory benches ‘my Christmas good wishes do extend to everyone over there as well!’ If that’s really true, Mr S thinks Corbyn has a strange way of spreading the Christmas cheer… Update: Theresa May has responded to Corbyn’s apparent jibe…

Steerpike Steerpike

Pamela Anderson: I could handle Mr Barnier better than May

Theresa May is desperately trying to convince both her European counterparts and her British colleagues that her Brexit plan is a goer. However, the Prime Minister has attracted criticism from across the pond – and this time it’s not from President Trump. Step forward Pamela Anderson. The former Baywatch start turned left wing activist tells Jacobin magazine about her hopes for a Lexit (left wing Brexit) – adding that her preferred rpute going forward is a Jeremy Corbyn government: ‘It is vital that the European Union is thoroughly and fundamentally reformed. Europe deserves a much better form of organized cooperation. And I would really support the UK attempting to create

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Don’t blame Ireland for beating Britain in the Brexit negotiations

Plámás is an Irish word that lacks a precise English equivalent. It means a special kind of empty flattery, disingenuous praise, or pleasing, but soft-soaping, bullshit, offered the better to smooth over a particular difficulty or advance towards a particular objective. It is the currency, the bread-and-butter, of Irish politics where everyone is a ‘grand man’ or a ‘gas fella’ and all things may be possible, at all times, for all people. You may divide Irish politicians between the natural plámásers (Charlie Haughey, for instance) and those for whom it is a learned but never fluent skill (Garret Fitzgerald). Most of the time, the naturals win. Leo Varadkar is not

Steerpike Steerpike

Listen: Business minister’s Brexit money gaffe

It’s a busy day for the government, as they finally unveil their immigration white paper and begin the preparations for no deal. But as the government’s gears grind into gear, it appears that some ministers have been struggling with their own personal preparations for interviews. Energy minister Claire Perry was on 5 Live this morning to discuss the government’s plans, but fell at the first hurdle when she was asked this simple question by Emma Barnett: ‘How much [money for Brexit] has been allocated to your department?’ To which the minister could only reply: ‘Gosh, you know I actually don’t know the amount’ Pressed on whether she thought it slightly worrying