Politics

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

Thursday

Katy Balls Katy Balls

Tory MPs worry Michael Gove’s extremism crackdown could backfire

Michael Gove’s extremism crackdown has been the talk of the Tory party for weeks now, with three former Conservative home secretaries warning ahead of today’s official announcement not to use the issue to score political points. Gove, the Levelling Up secretary, has drawn up a new definition of non-violent extremism which, he told the Commons this lunchtime, would include ‘the promotion or advancement of…violence, hatred or intolerance’. Gove argued that the new definition is ‘more precise and rigorous’ than what came before. The announcement follows Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street speech after George Galloway’s Rochdale by-election, in which the Prime Minister warned that Islamist extremists and far-right groups are ‘spreading a

Steerpike Steerpike

Abbott blasts ‘abusive’ Labour party officials in racism row

The Tories have had a tough week trying to find their line on comments made by their biggest donor Frank Hester. But the Labour party hasn’t escaped unscathed either. Independent MP Diane Abbott has taken her side of the story to the papers — and delivered a blistering attack on her former party. Abbott revealed in the Guardian that she had been planning to ask the Prime Minister about Frank Hester’s remarks in the Commons. But despite attempting to get the Speaker’s attention almost, er, 50 times, Abbott wasn’t successful. Turning to the column pages, she described how she had been ‘upset but not surprised’ by Hester’s comments and slammed

Ross Clark Ross Clark

How WFH engineers caused an air traffic control meltdown

How lovely that engineers working for National Air Traffic Services (Nats) can work from home rather than having to slog it in to the company’s headquarters at Swanwick, Hampshire. Lovely, that is, for the engineers rather than for air passengers. A report by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has revealed the reason behind the meltdown in air traffic control which led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights last August Bank Holiday, inconveniencing millions of passengers. The system need to be reset by a ‘level 2’ engineer, but none were actually working in the office that day, so one had to be called in – which took 90 minutes. Such is

Steerpike Steerpike

Gove in extremism muddle over Tory donor

Back to Westminster, where Michael Gove has revealed his brand new definition of extremism today in a bid to push back against fanaticism. The communities secretary has offered assurances that there will be a high bar for defining a group as extremist, and that a ‘rigorous process’ would be followed when identifying group of concern. Affected organisations will miss out on government grants and ministerial meetings. Critics have suggested the broader definition could have a ‘chilling effect’ on free speech however and some rather, er, unusual alliances have formed in protest at the move. The communities secretary found himself in a tight spot this morning on the morning round. The

John Ferry John Ferry

Humza Yousaf fails to make the economic case for independence

Try to start a speech with a joke to warm up your audience. That’s always good advice. And so Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, began his speech at the London School of Economics this week by light-heartedly pointing out that the LSE might be a world-class institution but it only came fourth in a recent newspaper ranking of Britain’s best universities. Scotland’s St Andrews University, on the other hand, he said, came out in first place. He went on to say he was reminded of a ‘famous saying’ that there are two types of people in this world: ‘Scots, and those who want to be Scottish’. I’m guessing you’ve never heard of

Peter Mandelson

Could Cameron take over the Tories?

My weekly appearance on the podcast How to Win an Election, which I do with Danny Finkelstein, Polly Mackenzie and Matt Chorley, had succeeded in avoiding embarrassment until last week when, in response to a listener’s question about politicians’ appearance, I was momentarily stuck for something to say about Keir Starmer. I should have remained stuck. Instead, what came out of my mouth, after laying into Rishi Sunak’s skinny suits and narrow ties, was the suggestion that Keir could do with losing a few pounds. Heaven knows why it attracted such attention. Labour’s Wes Streeting was quick off the mark (he is so effective) with his condemnation of my ‘fat-shaming’

Rod Liddle Rod Liddle

Does anyone actually like Reform?

‘Alastair, it’s been absolutely fascinating talking to you. Thank you for your honesty.’ And thus ended Kirsty Young’s interview with Alastair Campbell, broadcast to the nation on BBC Radio 4 on Monday. This was part of the series Young Again, in which Kirsty interviews left-of-centre people, agrees with them and makes them feel better about themselves. Reform’s obvious problem is that it cannot appeal simultaneously to its divided voter base It is difficult to know how she could have been more fawning in this particular episode, short of performing what the Daily Telegraph used to refer to as ‘an obscene act’ on the psychotic former spin doctor. Later, Campbell tweeted

Katy Balls Katy Balls

Will the Red Wall revolt split the right?

On Monday night Tories gathered on the Terrace Pavilion at parliament for the 1922 Committee’s spring reception, to which every backbencher was invited. The crowd was small, largely made up of Rishi Sunak loyalists eating steak and chips and drinking sparkling wine. The Prime Minister chose not to give opening remarks and instead chatted to the MPs. According to one attendee, the atmosphere was jovial. But no one dared bring up the elephant in the room: Lee Anderson’s defection. Just hours earlier, the former deputy Tory party chairman held a press conference to announce he was defecting to the Reform party. Even before he started to speak, his former Tory

Wednesday

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

A free press means freedom from government

In a landmark ruling for press freedom in Britain, the government has today moved to outlaw ownership of national newspapers and magazines by foreign powers. The text of the proposed new law has not been published but it would appear to rule out any Emirati ownership – in whole or in part – of the Daily Telegraph and The Spectator. The move came after backbenchers in the Lords and Commons gathered in such numbers that, had the government not acted, Parliament would have done. It’s a case study of democracy at work. Tina Stowell, a backbench Tory peer, organised an amendment in the House of Lords to be voted on today

Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Drakeford blasts ‘absent’ Boris at fiery Covid Inquiry hearing

Back to the UK Covid Inquiry and today it’s in Cardiff, where Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford has given some rather, er, colourful evidence. After watching Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Nicola Sturgeon being grilled in previous hearings, Drakeford had some idea at least of what to expect and prepare — and he’s certainly not left the media with a shortage of sound bites. The Welsh PM isn’t holding back. He slammed the former PM for trying to ‘minimise the seriousness’ of Covid, Hancock was described as getting ‘the most basic things wrong’ and Cummings criticised for saying ‘no’ to a mass gathering ban. Drakeford described Boris’s refusal to meet the

Lloyd Evans Lloyd Evans

Rishi came under attack from all sides at PMQs

The plot to shoot Diane Abbot dominated PMQs. The Tory donor, Frank Hester, reportedly said that the MP for Hackney North inspired violent thoughts in him, and made him want to ‘hate all black women.’ Sir Keir Starmer asked if Rishi Sunak was happy to be bankrolled by someone who harboured fantasies about gunshots and bullet wounds. Rishi replied in kind and trotted out insults like ‘scum’ and ‘Nazi’ that have been hurled at the Tories by Labour members over the years. He pleaded for tolerance towards his financial backer. ‘He has rightly apologised. And that remorse should be accepted.’ Rishi could perhaps offer Hester a jaunt in a navy Chinook

Max Jeffery Max Jeffery

Will the Tories return Hester’s £10 million?

11 min listen

At Prime Minister’s Questions today Rishi Sunak refused to commit to returning the £10 million donor Frank Hester gave to the Conservative party. Hester allegedly said that Diane Abbott made him ‘hate all black women.’ Sunak now says that Hester’s  alleged comments were ‘racist’ and ‘wrong’, after a spokesperson initially only described them as ‘unacceptable’. Will the Tory position change again? Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and the Financial Times’s Stephen Bush.

Freddy Gray Freddy Gray

Power, politics and the grid

27 min listen

Freddy Gray speaks to author Robert Bryce whose recent docuseries Power Politics & The Grid explores the growing vulnerabilities of America’s electric grid. On the podcast they talk about Trump vs Biden energy policy; why Europe needs America’s energy and what environmentalism could look like in 2024. 

Stephen Daisley Stephen Daisley

Will NHS Scotland follow suit and ban puberty blockers?

The decision by NHS England to end the prescription of puberty blockers to minors at gender identity clinics will be a source of relief to those who have fought a long, hard and unpopular campaign against this practice. When these people, including whistle-blowing clinicians, feminists, gay rights activists and concerned parents, first stuck their heads above the parapet, the entire political establishment was in lockstep behind the gender ideology. The Tories and Labour. The NHS and the media. The lawyers and the academics. The third sector and the corporate world. Many of these institutions are still chugging down the Kool-Aid but the new regulations represent a significant victory for medical

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Starmer made life miserable for Sunak at PMQs

An ugly Prime Minister’s Questions today which will probably make the Tories wish they didn’t have to call an election for at least five years – and the public wish they didn’t have to endure the campaign that’s heading their way very soon. Inevitably, it was about racism, and inevitably Rishi Sunak had a miserable time. Starmer replied that he had changed his party but Sunak was scared of his Sunak did not try to pre-empt the session by announcing that Tory donor Frank Hester’s money would be going to charity, or any other measure suggesting he was taking the matter more seriously than yesterday’s slow crawl towards admitting Hester’s

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Will the government vote to veto foreign press ownership?

At about 4 p.m. this afternoon, the government is expected to break its silence on the UAE-backed bid for the Telegraph and The Spectator. Ministers have until now been quiet, saying they didn’t want to prejudge the inquiry process, but a rebellion from both houses and all parties in parliament has focused ministerial minds. The question is whether ‘foreign powers’, as defined by the National Security Act, should be allowed to own newspapers in whole or in part. And whether parliament should have the power of veto. The test is whether ministers would allow any kind of part ownership on behalf of Sheikh Mansour or another ‘foreign power’ Tina Stowell,

Euan McColm

The undoing of Professor Jason Leitch

Jason Leitch was a calm, reassuring presence in his almost daily TV appearances during the pandemic. But after an unedifying evidence session at the UK Covid Inquiry and revelations that Leitch deleted his Covid WhatsApps, the reputation of the national clinical director is in tatters. Now, he has announced his departure from his Scottish government role and will leave at the end of April. The former dental surgeon was widely regarded as affable and straightforward. His skills as a communicator were huge valuable at a time of great uncertainty. He regularly stood alongside former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during her lunchtime broadcasts to the nation, offering the scientific rationale for

Steerpike Steerpike

Taxpayers foot SNP minister’s £2,500 chauffeur bill

Dear oh dear. First the SNP’s health secretary attempted to use the public purse to cover his phone bill costs. Now, in a separate matter, the Scottish government’s tourism and trade minister has come under fire for lumping a similarly large bill on taxpayers. Richard Lochhead’s three-day trip to California resulted in a rather hefty expenses bill of £11,750. Responding to a freedom of information request, the Scottish government helpfully broke down how this money was spent. £8,000 plane tickets, £800 accommodation and just under £450 on extra ‘travel and subsistence’ costs illustrate a rather enjoyable stay. But the real zinger was the revelation that Lochhead racked up costs of

The Spectator

What the royals must learn from Kate’s photo blunder

As an object lesson in how to feed conspiracy theorists while trying to see them off, the Princess of Wales’s Mothers’ Day photograph of herself and her three children could hardly be bettered. For weeks since the sudden announcement that she was to undergo abdominal surgery in January, the internet has been buzzing with speculation as to the nature of her undisclosed condition, along with hints that it could all be a lot more serious than the official royal news sources were making out. The fact that the original announcement coincided with the King’s own health problems – an enlarged prostate, followed by the discovery of some form of cancer –

Kate Andrews Kate Andrews

Britain’s recession looks like it’s over

Is the UK already out of recession? It’s a question that won’t be confirmed for months, but this morning’s update from the Office for National Statistics offers a positive hint that Britain’s economic contraction will be confined to 2023. According to the ONS, the economy grew by 0.2 per cent in January – thanks largely to improved services output, which rose by 0.2 per cent, and a bounceback in wholesale and retail trade. Construction output also turned a corner, growing by 1.1 per cent after three consecutive months of contractions. Is this the spectacular economic turnaround that Britain has been waiting for? GDP still fell 0.1 per cent in the