Politics

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

Tuesday

2 Oct 2018

Steerpike

What did Tory members make of Boris Johnson’s speech?

Boris Johnson’s speech attracted the largest crowd of any conference fringe event. But does Boris have the backing of party members? Mr Steerpike spoke to some activists to see what they made of the speech: Phoebe McCullough, 21, from Twickenham, a student at Sterling university, had this to say: John Bennet, 23, from Sterling, said he thought Boris’s speech was the highlight of Tory party conference: Adrian Hutson, from Belfast, said he thought Boris had fluffed some of his lines: But while many were supportive of Boris, not everyone was convinced by his calls to unite behind the Prime Minister. Anthony Mullen, 26, from Sunderland said the speech showed Boris was

Isabel Hardman

Hancock’s holding line sums up the Tory party’s policy problem

So much of this Conservative conference has felt like a holding line from the party leadership, as though having the event in Birmingham has been inconvenient timing and something to survive, rather than enjoy. Mind you, this is the theme of Theresa May’s leadership generally: not only has the Prime Minister survived against the odds over the past year and a half, she has also given the impression that this survival is more important than, say, making decisions on Britain’s future trading relationship with the EU, or pushing ahead with domestic reform. If you want a domestic example of how cautious the Tories are being at this conference, you need

Steerpike

Anna Soubry turns on young Tories

The Tory tradition of blue-on-blue attacks at the party’s conference continues. Today, it’s the turn of Anna Soubry to mock young Tory activists. When Telegraph journalist Christopher Hope said that the pictures of empty seats in the main conference hall didn’t tell the full story of what is happening in Birmingham and that many fringe meetings were buzzing with young activists, Soubry replied with the following: Mr S isn’t sure that’s quite the right way to encourage the next generation…

Ross Clark

Why didn’t the Tories back down over civil partnerships earlier?

Much as I deplore the integration of the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law there are some battles which really aren’t worth fighting. Today, Theresa May announced that civil partnerships are to be made available to heterosexual couples for the first time. This follows a ruling by the Supreme Court in June that the current arrangements – whereby gay couples can enter into a civil partnership but not heterosexual ones – are in conflict with the convention. Why on Earth did the Government resist this change in the first place when it was so plainly obvious that it was discriminatory? David Cameron made a huge fuss about enabling

Isabel Hardman

Why Tory members are deserting the conference hall

One of the stories of this Conservative conference is the contrast between the crowd and atmosphere in the main conference hall, and the popularity of the fringes elsewhere. In previous years, the party has suffered stories about how corporate the whole event is, with members deciding not to bother with the expense of the whole thing. But this year, while there are more members turning up, they’re finding very little to keep them in the hall. Yesterday, a speaker in the hall inadvertently offered an explanation for this. The party has been doing more to increase contributions ‘from the floor’, she told the audience, saying it was important to involve

Steerpike

Jo Jo’s no show at Boris’s conference speech

Boris Johnson’s fringe speech certainly went down well with members today, when a packed auditorium erupted in cheers as he rallied against the Chequers deal. But it looks like one person was less keen on Boris’s attempt to pitch his leadership. As the Sun’s Harry Cole pointed out, Boris’s brother Jo Johnson did not attend his older brother’s conference speech, despite being on the VIP guest list and having a seat reserved from him on the front row. Mr S didn’t see Boris’s sister Rachel there either, who was also on the guest list. Here's the VIP list for Boris speech. IDS and other leading Brexiteers. I count 22 MPs.

Katy Balls

Boris Johnson sets out his stall – but stops short of a challenge

Boris Johnson’s Brexit rally was everything that No 10 had been dreading. Queues for the event began three hours in advance and saw activists block stairways and corridors across the conference hall in a bid to see the former foreign secretary’s moment in the spotlight. Some members in the audience even dressed up for the occasion – with Boris Johnson t-shirts. The front row was filled with Johnson’s Parliamentary supporters – including David Davis, Zac Goldsmith and Iain Duncan Smith. His siblings – Jo and Rachel – were notably absent despite both attending this year’s conference. Proving he is still a star attraction, Johnson received a standing ovation as soon

Boris Johnson

Full text: Boris Johnson’s Tory fringe speech

Good afternoon my friends and fellow ConHomers. It is great to be here in Birmingham where so many thoroughfares in the city are already named after our superb Conservative mayor. I know this conference is going to be a staggering success because just in the last couple of days about a dozen far left Momentum activists have kindly pledged their loyalty by ringing my private mobile phone. I put them straight on to Brandon. As Paul Goodman might confirm, I am not naturally of a timid disposition. It is not my way to confide my innermost fears. But since this is only a fringe meeting, unlikely to be widely reported,

Steerpike

Watch: Sajid Javid’s speech gaffe

Poor old Sajid Javid. While a huge queue of Tory activists were waiting to hear from Boris Johnson, there were empty seats in the main hall as the Home Secretary gave his speech. Things went from bad to worse for Sajid when he tripped over his words: ‘We will fight hope… hate… fight against hate, with hope’ Oh dear…

Sajid Javid

Full text: Sajid Javid’s Conservative conference speech

It’s a huge privilege to be standing here as Home Secretary. Now I know the question on your mind. So let’s just deal with it upfront. Yes, I did watch Bodyguard. No, it wasn’t very realistic. For a start, my codename is not Lavender, and she didn’t even do the power stance! But let me tell you about another story. A story which started in the 1960s. Abdul-Ghani Javid left Pakistan and landed in Heathrow. He spent what little he had on a coach ticket, had his first night here in Birmingham, then continued up north to Lancashire to find work in a cotton mill. After standing outside the mill

Steerpike

Conservative conference 2018, in pictures

It’s been a rather dry affair inside the main hall at Conservative conference this year, as ministers struggle to come up with new policies and a vision for the country that can unite and inspire voters. Fortunately, things are much more fun outside the main hall. At the conference’s various fringe events, activists and members have met for lively discussion, and shown there is some life in the party after all. Mr S has been spending the past few days in and around the conference in Birmingham to see what’s going on. (Mr S will update this post with new pictures as the conference continues.) About 15 anti-Brexit protestors

Steerpike

Boris fever hits Tory party conference

Boris Johnson has arrived at Tory party conference and excitement among activists is building ahead of his big speech at 1pm. Already a queue of party members is snaking through the conference centre – nearly three hours before Boris is due to take to the stage. Here’s Mr Steerpike’s video of those waiting in line to hear Boris speak: And here’s the moment Boris arrived… Mr S suspects the queue for the main conference hall won’t be quite so long. Meanwhile, for the lucky few that have made it inside, excitement is building…

Steerpike

Scottish Tories launch ‘Operation Stop Boris’

As Boris Johnson and the accompanying media circus descend on conference today, pundits have been asking – is he the Heineken statesman of old, or more of a Marmite politician? Judging by his popularity among his Scottish colleagues in parliament, Mr S can confidently say he’s not an Irn Bru political figure. The deep loathing Scottish Tory MPs have for Johnson was bared for all to see this morning, when the Daily Record revealed that they have hatched a plan to stop him from seizing power. The name of their scheme? ‘Operation Stop Arse’. According to the paper, they came up with the title ‘so we’d all be clear who

Tom Goodenough

There’s one thing Rees-Mogg and his loyal followers don’t agree on

Most politicians can only dream of having the cult following that Jacob Rees-Mogg is enjoying at Conservative party conference. His events are packed out an hour before they are due to start. Cries of ‘Mogg for PM’ have been heard. And when Rees-Mogg walked into the room at a Leave means Leave rally last night, he was greeted with wild applause just for turning up. Mogg’s loyal supporters hang on his every word, but there’s one thing on which they don’t agree with their idol on: whether it’s time for Theresa May to go. The problem for Rees-Mogg is that in firing up his followers to ‘chuck Chequers’, it’s difficult

Steerpike

Ministers leave plenty of empty seats at Conservative party conference

There was a time, back in the day, when cabinet ministers were the star attraction of the Conservative conference show. Attendees would queue round the block to hear from famous faces in the party and hear how they were going to tackle the biggest issues of the day. But those days are no more. Instead, at this year’s conference, Mr S has noticed that turnout in the main hall has been remarkably low. In fact, even the most recognisable members of cabinet have failed to fill up the main conference hall. So, Mr S has cast his eye round the ICC in Birmingham to find out where Conservative members have

The Spectator

Conservative party conference, day three: The Spectator guide | 2 October 2018

All eyes will be on Boris Johnson when he addresses the Tory fringes this afternoon. Expect the former foreign secretary to offer plenty of advice for the Prime Minister as she prepares for her keynote speech tomorrow. And on the main stage, Sajid Javid is the pick of the speakers: Conference listings: 10.00 – 12.30 Symphony Hall A STRONGER, FAIRER UNITED KINGDOM Secretary of State for Scotland Secretary of State for Wales Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSession to include contributions from Party members

Monday

1 Oct 2018

Ruth Davidson

Full text: Ruth Davidson’s Conservative conference speech

Friends, it’s great to be back here in Birmingham. Seven years ago, I came to conference looking to lead the party north of the border. I promised you I would grow the Conservative family in Scotland. Well, never let it be said, I’m not a woman of my word. Conference, there are plenty of things I could talk to you about today. I could tell you about the fantastic work our 31 MSPs are doing in Holyrood, day by day holding Nicola Sturgeon’s miserablist SNP government to account. I could let you know about the work of our superb 13 Scottish Conservative and Unionist MPs. Who, day by day, are showing that you can stand

Philip Hammond

Full text: Philip Hammond’s Conservative conference speech

Liz, thank you for that introduction……and for tearing yourself away from your beloved Instagram account for a few minutes. And thank you too for being such a great Chief Secretary and stalwart defender of the public purse. My kids think I’m tight with money…but they haven’t met Liz Truss. And in a world obsessed with stories of division and rift in Whitehall… I want to hold up my fantastic team at the Treasury as an example of how we can – and do – work together and support each other. So a big “thank you” to all of them. Liz, ministers Mel Stride, John Glen, Rob Jenrick and in the Lords, Michael Bates;

Roger Awan-Scully

The humiliating end to Leanne Wood’s Plaid Cymru leadership | 1 October 2018

‘The morning had been golden; the noontide was bronze; and the evening lead.’ So said Churchill about the career of Lord Curzon. But these words could also summarise the leadership of Plaid Cymru by Leanne Wood – a leadership that came to an abrupt and rather humiliating end on Friday. Most observers of politics outside Wales, and plenty of people even within Wales, only really became aware of Leanne Wood after the televised leaders’ debates during the 2015 general election. By that point, she had actually been leader of her party for more than three years. Wood was a surprise leader – even to herself. First elected to the Welsh

D Reilly

The Tories’ Boris Johnson problem

I watched the Tory party conference on television this morning for as long as I could take it. Obviously I wouldn’t under normal circumstances – nobody sane would – but I’d been left in sole charge of a six-month old child (my son) and I wanted him to understand that life is very often pain. We made it through Dominic Raab’s bore-athon, but during Philip Hammond’s effort one of us filled his pants and so I turned it off. It seemed an appropriate protest. Why were the speeches so bad? And, more to the point, why did the speakers seem such unbelievable dullards? There’s no excuse. This is their job.