Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.
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Joanna Cherry is the SNP’s Justice and Home Affairs Spokesperson and a prolific QC, known for her successful legal challenge against the government over its decision to prorogue parliament. In the end, Boris Johnson’s prorogation was declared unlawful. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about her Scottish Labour days, the misogyny she identifies in
Lisa Nandy has won the endorsement of GMB and is one step away from reaching the final stage of the Labour leadership contest. Announcing the decision, the union’s general secretary Tim Roache said: ‘Lisa Nandy is a breath of fresh air in the debate over Labour’s future. The more members see of Lisa in this
Ever since Boris Johnson won a majority of 80 in the December snap election, the Conservative benches have been a place of unity and happiness. It’s far removed from the past year of infighting and blue on blue attacks. However, today cracks began to emerge as an issue came to the fore which divides Conservative
The second stage of the Labour leadership contest kicks off today as nominations open for affiliated groups – including trade unions – and constituency Labour parties pick a leadership candidate to support. There are five hopefuls still in contention to succeed Jeremy Corbyn: Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Jess Phillips, Lisa Nandy and Emily Thornberry. Over
Boris Johnson’s first week back in Parliament did not lead to the type of fireworks many had been expecting after the Prime Minister’s decisive election victory. Over Christmas, there was chatter that Johnson was building up to a mass restructuring of Whitehall, a cull of the Cabinet and a reorganisation of the civil service. This
When a Labour politician or aide stops to chat in the corridors of parliament these days, they only have one question: which leadership candidate would the Tories fear most? The government majority of 80 means it would be hard for even the most talented Labour leader to land a House of Commons victory in the
After weeks of speculation, Rebecca Long Bailey has finally announced that she is entering the race to be the next Labour leader. In an article for Tribune magazine, Long Bailey says she is standing for election on the grounds that Labour needs a ‘proud socialist’ to lead who is ‘driven by their principles and an unwavering
Jess Phillips is viewed as an outside bet when it comes to the Labour leadership race. While she has a good chance of making it through the parliamentary round, Phillips will have her work cut out among the membership. The Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley has been openly critical of Jeremy Corbyn and also once told
The Labour leadership contest is yet to get officially underway – with an NEC meeting to be held on Monday to decide a timetable – but already several horses have entered the race. On Saturday night, Sir Keir Starmer announced his leadership bid – joining Lisa Nandy and Jess Phillips who earlier declared. Starmer is
Over the parliamentary recess, there’s been much speculation over what the government’s mooted Whitehall revamp will mean in practice. Part of the plans include a shake-up of the current government departments – the Home Office is expected to be divided, with immigration taken out, while there are plans to beef up the business department. However,
After four failed attempts and one ousted prime minister, the Withdrawal Agreement Bill has comfortably passed the Commons at second reading. In fairness, this is not the first time this has happened. In the last parliament, Boris Johnson narrowly managed to pass the WAB at second reading – however, the government then pulled it when
One of the most striking things about the government’s Queen’s Speech was Boris Johnson’s focus on where the country could be in ten years’ time: ‘Mr Speaker, this is not a programme for one year, or one Parliament it is a blueprint for the future of Britain. Just imagine where this country could be in
Nicola Sturgeon is the only opposition leader who survived the general election. She has emerged far stronger. The Tories had hoped to halt the nationalists’ advance, but in the end, Scotland was the only part of the UK in which their party suffered serious setbacks. Sturgeon’s advancing army dethroned Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, claimed
The first meeting of the parliamentary Labour party since the party’s disastrous election defeat began with a round of applause. Only it wasn’t for Jeremy Corbyn. Instead MPs clapped in tribute to those colleagues who had lost their seats in the party’s worst election showing since 1935. The reaction the beleaguered Labour leader received was
With a majority of 80, Boris Johnson has his pick when it comes to forming his new look government. However, for now the Prime Minister is contenting himself with a mere minor reshuffle – with plans for a wide-ranging reshuffle in the new year. Today he has filled vacancies in his Cabinet made from MPs standing
The Liberal Democrats have capped off a bad campaign with a disastrous results night. The party is on course for a mere 11 seats. To put that into perspective they won 12 seats in 2017. Jo Swinson started the campaign suggesting she could be prime minister. Instead, she has lost her seat. The Lib Dem
Jeremy Corbyn’s election night speech did little to address the fact he led Labour to its worst result since 1935. However, he did at least acknowledge that he probably wasn’t the best person to lead the party into the next election. Many Labour MPs were quick to take to the airwaves to play the blame
When the first YouGov MRP poll of the election campaign was published last month, it was a cause of anxiety in Conservative Campaign Headquarters. The projection of a Tory majority of 68 was seen as overly optimistic – and there were concerns that it could lead to complacency in the polling booth. The second –
It’s been a hectic election day for the two main parties. Labour managed to move the conversation to their preferred turf – the NHS – following the story of a four-year-old boy forced to sleep on the floor of an overcrowded A&E unit. As Isabel reports, Boris Johnson’s refusal to look at a photo of
It’s the week of the election and Boris Johnson is to spend the final days of the campaign visiting every region in England and Wales – starting off with a tour of Leave-voting Labour marginals. The polls vary in the size of the Tory lead – starting from a 6pt lead and going up to