Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.

May fried over public sector pay at PMQs

Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May spent their lunchtime talking about McDonalds. Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, it was McStrike, rather than a lunchtime order, that dominated her first PMQs since the summer recess. Asked to show support for those workers currently taking industrial action against the fast food giant, May would only say that it

Meet ‘other’ – the candidate to beat Jacob Rees-Mogg for Tory leader

Although Damian Green has insisted Theresa May will lead the party into the next election, this hasn’t stopped Jacob Rees-Mogg receiving the first ‘official endorsement’ for leader. Last night, Activate – the questionable attempt at a ‘Tory momentum’ – announced that it was backing the Moggster. Given that this grassroots movement is yet to take off, it’s

Should Theresa May reshuffle her Cabinet?

When Parliament returns tomorrow, Theresa May will come back to work to find her position a bit more secure than it was when she left for the summer break. With no obvious leadership challenger and her party vaguely united behind her, May looks safe in No 10 in the coming months – even if her claim

A fake Tory leadership war has begun

When a new MP is offered a job as a parliamentary private secretary for a cabinet member, it’s often a test to see if they really would do anything to get into government. It involves running errands, spying on colleagues, ferrying messages around the Commons and planting inane questions for backbenchers to ask in the

The phoney Tory leadership war

When a new MP is offered a job as a parliamentary private secretary for a cabinet member, it’s often a test to see if they really would do anything to get into government. It involves running errands, spying on colleagues, ferrying messages around the Commons and planting inane questions for backbenchers to ask in the

Why you shouldn’t bet on a Rees-Mogg premiership just yet

There are many ways to dampen down speculation surrounding one’s leadership ambitions. However, writing an article headlined ‘I do not plan to be PM, but here is how the Tories could lead better’ isn’t one of them. This is what Jacob Rees-Mogg did this morning for the Telegraph, thereby pouring petrol on reports over the

Bank of England: inflation blip is ‘entirely’ temporary

Although Mark Carney has earned a reputation for doom-mongering over Brexit, today’s Bank of England press conference wasn’t all doom and gloom. While the bank voted – at six votes to two – to keep interest rates at 0.25pc (see the leader in this week’s issue of The Spectator for why this isn’t such a great idea), its

The Tories need to seem serious about balancing the books

There are some things in life that you can always rely on: the sun will rise in the East, there will be showers in April, and the Conservatives will find a way to put off balancing the books. Although George Osborne – back when he was Chancellor – initially aimed to eliminate the structural deficit by 2015, it has

Breaking: Prime Minister’s spokesman says nothing new

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

The Cabinet’s Brexit position is transitioning

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

Liam Fox’s Brexit optimism is matched by President Trump’s

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

Will Labour’s tuition fee row end Corbyn-mania?

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

Brexit talks reach a stalemate on EU nationals

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

Katy Balls

In defeat, Theresa May has done what David Cameron couldn’t

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’s ‘genuine and open’ Cabinet meeting

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

The austere Chancellor wins education tussle

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