Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.
Ahead of the summer recess, there was concern among Tory high command that the long holiday could result in seven weeks of leadership plotting. But worried Mayites can rest easy as instead what’s transpired instead is an endless free-for-all over the government’s Brexit position. Every day hacks now take a comment from a minister on one aspect of
Although this week has seen a divergence of views in the Cabinet over Brexit (not to mention Labour’s continuing Brexit confusion) on everything from chlorinated chicken to freedom of movement, there is one aspect of the negotiations that all ministers can agree on: the need for a transitional agreement. Speaking on the Today programme, the Chancellor
Another day, another mixed message from the government over its position on Brexit. This time it’s immigration that has become the source of confusion after the Home Secretary and her minister appeared to come up with conflicting lines this morning. In an article for the Financial Times, Amber Rudd said she wanted to reassure businesses
Don’t Liam Fox and Michael Gove know how to use Skype? Just as the Cabinet finally start to reach agreement on the nuts and bolts of the UK’s Brexit negotiating position, a row has broken out across the Atlantic about chlorinated chicken. Much to Fox’s frustration, his trip to Washington to begin US/UK trade talks has
Liam Fox is well known for his optimism when it comes to Brexit. The International Trade Secretary has even been accused by his critics of wishful thinking over what Britain will look like outside of the EU. And so it was that as Fox headed to Washington this week to lay the groundwork for UK/US trade talks, there
As Theresa May sets off hiking in the Italian alps, CCHQ can take heart that – for a change – it’s not Conservative in-fighting dominating the headlines. Instead, it’s Labour’s dubious election promises – thanks to Jeremy Corbyn’s admission on the Andrew Marr show that his party has no plans to abolish pre-existing student debt. The reason this presents
This afternoon, David Davis and Michel Barnier gave a joint press conference to update hacks on the progress that’s been made in the second instalment of Brexit talks. However, there wasn’t all that much progress to report back on. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, said there was a ‘fundamental’ split between the EU and the UK
Today the House rises for summer recess and, as James writes, Downing Street achieves its immediate post-election aim: Theresa May makes it to the summer recess. The government hopes the break will allow the party to regroup and come back more focused and more united. Whether that happens or not, what is clear is that the Prime
Theresa May has just issued her much-anticipated telling off to Cabinet for the recent string of damaging leaks. Happily, the Prime Minister’s spokesman was on hand to (officially) leak details of the discussion on leaks to the press afterwards. May told her ministers that the leaks showed that some were not ‘taking their responsibilities seriously’. Urging them
Justine Greening has found the cash to soften her department’s new funding formula. After much to-ing and fro-ing between the Department of Education and the Treasury in recent weeks, Greening has announced a £1.3bn increase to school funding. Speaking in the Chamber, the Education Secretary said she had recognised public concern over levels of school funding
As Isabel reports, after a week of briefing and backstabbing among the Cabinet, there is a growing feeling from Conservatives that Theresa May needs to stamp what little authority she has left on her party. In this vein, May is expected to tell ministers to keep a lid on it at tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting. But
Last month, David Davis warned that a Tory leadership contest would be ‘catastrophic’ for the Brexit negotiations. But as the Brexit secretary heads to Brussels for the second instalment of talks, the jostling among MPs to be the next party leader is well underway. The weekend papers have been filled with Cabinet members briefing against one
It’s exactly one year to the day since Theresa May became Prime Minister. To mark the occasion, she has given a lengthy interview to Radio 5Live’s Emma Barnett. Unfortunately for May, it wasn’t the interview she would have envisaged giving a year ago when she entered No 10. Rather than talk of the achievements so
If an MP has been overlooked for a government role, a coveted select committee chairmanship can provide an important platform in Parliament. As a result, lots of Tories have been jostling and manoeuvring in the past week to be in a with a short of just this. Now, the results are in: Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Labour)
Despite Theresa May’s plea to opposition parties to contribute to policy, there is little sign of co-operation so far. Following the launch of the Taylor Report on employment practices, the SNP have said the findings ‘fall shamefully short’, while Jeremy Corbyn has called it a ‘huge missed opportunity’ to tackle insecure employment. As Isabel notes, Taylor could be
What a difference three months can make. In April, Theresa May stood on the steps of Downing Street and announced that she was calling a snap election to increase her majority and stop opposition parties from ‘political game-playing’ during the Brexit process. Having lost that majority in the subsequent election, the Prime Minister will this week mark
It’s two weeks until the summer recess and judging by today’s papers, that’s two weeks too late. Despite Theresa May’s positive trip to the G20 summit, the Sundays are filled with tales of leadership plotting and planned Conservative rebellions. Although Philip Hammond was heralded as a caretaker PM a few weeks ago, it’s now David Davis
After days spent fighting over the public sector pay cap, today marked a return to politics as usual. The Labour party bickered about the threat of mandatory re-selection and the Conservatives tried to hide their differences on Brexit. Michel Barnier – the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator – used his first major speech since talks began
After days of ministers calling on Theresa May to scrap the public sector pay cap, the fightback has begun. But it’s not coming from the Prime Minister. Instead, it’s been left to May’s predecessor to make the case for fiscal discipline. After the Chancellor put his foot down in a speech to the CBI last
While the Cabinet bicker among themselves – in meetings, media briefings and the FT letters’ page – about policy, behind the scenes chatter remains over who will be the next Tory leader. Handily, Conservative Home has today released its Cabinet League Table which shows where the various ministers lie when it comes to the party membership.