Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.
Bad news for unionists in Westminster. A new Opinium poll on the Scottish parliament elections projects that the SNP are on course for a majority come 6 May. The party is polling at 53 per cent (44 per cent on the list vote) and on this would get a majority of around 13 seats. Meanwhile, the Conservatives
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Under-30s should be offered an alternative to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, the UK’s vaccine regulator said this afternoon. What does this mean for the UK’s roadmap? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Kate Andrews.
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The government needs to be ‘honest’ about vaccine passports, Labour’s shadow health minister Jonathan Ashworth said today. Boris Johnson yesterday said the ‘certificates’ would not be needed for pubs or shops, but a recent paper from the government said venues could scrap social distancing rules if they’re used. Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and
As opposition grows to government plans to introduce vaccine passports, not even the Prime Minister appears keen to defend the proposals. In Monday’s press conference, Johnson refused to be drawn into a conversation about the plans and wouldn’t even say whether there would be a Commons vote on the policy. However, government figures suggest the
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The next stage of lockdown easing is going as planned, but some caveats around international travel and vaccine passports are being floated for further down the line. What did the government’s announcements today clear up? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.
When Boris Johnson first unveiled his roadmap out of lockdown, there was a promise of an end to restrictions by 21 June. That date was quickly dubbed ‘freedom day’ online and in the press. However, many of the tricky decisions on social distancing, travel abroad and IDs were pushed later down the line into various government reviews. Today,
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Sadiq Khan hasn’t been a particularly awe-inspiring London mayor, yet he is still tipped to win in the upcoming elections. Why are his opponents failing to cut through? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
As Boris Johnson prepares to deliver an update on Monday on government plans for immunity passports and international travel, the Prime Minister is already facing a parliamentary backlash. More than 70 MPs have voiced their concern over the use of ‘divisive and discriminatory’ immunity IDs in England. The cross-party group opposing ranges from Iain Duncan Smith and Steve Baker
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The pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives but one of the biggest is the way we work– with 46% of people working from home last year. Perhaps no group has been more impacted by this than the young – from unemployment to the mental health pressures of working from small homes and a
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Keir Starmer said that needing a vaccine passport to go to the pub would go against ‘British instinct’, in an interview today. But is he really against the proposals? Katy Balls speaks to Kate Andrews and James Forsyth.
When Boris Johnson sought to extend the government’s emergency powers for another six months last week, he faced little opposition in the Commons. Rather than fight for parliament’s right to scrutinise the government, Keir Starmer told Labour MPs to vote with the Tories. There was only one party of opposition: the Liberal Democrats. Ed Davey,
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Today’s report from the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has made waves for its rejection of the existence of ‘structural racism’ in the UK, and recommendation to stop using the label ‘BAME’ when it comes to describing minority experiences and ethnic relations. Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Cindy Yu about what it
Since Keir Starmer’s election as Labour leader, he has been criticised for failing to take strong positions on a variety of topics. However, the issue where Starmer tends to talk the toughest is anti-Semitism. The Labour leader has promised to root out anti-Semites from the party and when the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found
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A report on the Met Police’s handling of Sarah Everard’s vigil has concluded that the force ‘acted appropriately’. Was the conclusion a surprise, and has the new Policing Bill given them too much power? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
It wasn’t so long ago that ministers were lining up on broadcast to insists vaccine passports were out of the question when it came to the UK. While they could be used for travel abroad, the UK was — as Matt Hancock put it — not a ‘papers, please’ country. Instead, the UK appears to be
On the day that people are finally allowed to gather in groups of six outside, tennis games get underway and wild swimmers take to Instagram en masse, Boris Johnson attempted to land a message of caution with the nation. Speaking at today’s press conference, the Prime Minister spoke of the need to ‘proceed with caution’ as
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Alex Salmond has been building his new Alba Party over the weekend. Two SNP MPs have defected to the former party leader’s side – is he helping further the cause of Scottish independence? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
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After ruling out vaccine passports for most of this year, the government seems to be moving the goalposts with little discussion. Fraser Nelson writes in his Telegraph column this week that Britain could be moving to a bio-security state – and discusses with James Forsyth and Katy Balls on this episode.
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China has sanctioned nine Brits and four British entities in retaliation to sanctions imposed by the West earlier this week. What should the government do about this? Katy Balls talks to Cindy Yu and James Forsyth about the next moves.
MPs have voted to extend emergency coronavirus powers for another six months by 484 to 76 against. This means the government has retained wide-ranging powers including those given to police and immigration officials when dealing with people suspected of carrying Covid. In the debate ahead of the vote, the Health Secretary insisted that the powers will stay in place ‘only as long
