Politics

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

Friday

James Forsyth James Forsyth

David Cameron resigns, but not immediately

In an emotional but dignified statement, David Cameron has announced his resignation as Prime Minister. However, he will not resign immediately. Instead, he will stay to, in his phrase, ‘steady the ship’. But he wants a new Prime Minister in place by the Tory party conference this autumn.  Sensibly, Cameron said that he himself would not trigger Article 50, the two year process for leaving the EU. He said that it should be up to the new Prime Minister to make that decision. Cameron will, one suspects, go down in history for this referendum. But it should be remembered that there is more to his premiership than that. He was

Helen Nugent

A vote for Brexit: the financial fallout

Today the world woke up to a UK vote to leave the European Union, the resignation of the Prime Minister and the tanking of the pound. After a tumultuous night, the result of the EU referendum was declared in the early hours: 51.9 per cent leave, 48.1 per cent remain. Although the pound rallied shortly after polls closed, once a Brexit became clear, it plummeted. At one stage, it hit $1.3305, a fall of more than 10 per cent and a low not seen since 1985. The move in sterling is the biggest one-day fall ever seen. Meanwhile, the London stock market has plunged more than 8 per cent in the wake of

John O'Neill

Bookies anoint Boris as next Tory leader

The betting markets are all-but-ready to crown Boris Johnson as the next Conservative leader. After it became clear that Leave had won, the implied chance of Johnson succeeding David Cameron spiked to over 50 per cent – while the chance of George Osborne taking over plummeted. But these are the same betting markets that predicted a 14 per cent chance of Leave yesterday – so while this market is fun to watch, you might prefer to leave your money in your pocket. A chart showing bookies’ implied odds should appear below – but while our website is especially busy it may take a few moments to load:

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Leaked: Labour’s script responding to its terrible referendum result

As Katy reported earlier, Labour has prepared a script that attempts to exonerate Jeremy Corbyn for the party’s terrible night in its heartlands in this referendum. I have now been leaked that script, which MPs are expected to use from 6am, and it makes rather entertaining reading. The best line is the following: ‘Jeremy Corbyn has showed that he is far closer to the centre of gravity of the British public than other politicians. He is now the only politician who can unite a divided country, as he can speak to both sides.’ It also says that ‘Jeremy is uniquely placed as a critical remainer. He understands why people voted

Hamish Macdonell

Brexit has made a second independence referendum more likely

Just look at the map on the BBC website, there are eerie comparisons with the 2015 general election – Scotland has been painted yellow: again. This time, though, there is a difference. This time the whole of Scotland is yellow. There are no patches of any other colour to break up the picture. And that is the crucial point. The whole of Scotland voted Remain: the whole of Scotland without exception, including those areas, like the Western Isles, which voted to leave the EEC last time round. That sends a very powerful message. Nicola Sturgeon knew that, if the UK was going to vote for Brexit, she needed the point of difference

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Britain votes to leave the European Union

In the greatest political upset of recent time, Britain has voted to leave the European Union. We are now in uncharted waters in both UK and EU politics. The first question is what does David Cameron do? We can expect a statement from him later this morning. But the bigger question is how does the exit process work? We know that Vote Leave oppose triggering Article  50 immediately, beacuse they want to thrash out the outlines of a deal before doing that. I suspect that the initial reaction in Brussels and other EU capitals will be shock and anger at the result. How long that takes to calm is key

The Spectator

Britain votes for Brexit

The final results are in: Britain has voted to leave the European Union. Scroll down for our full coverage from throughout the night. And join us on our daytime live blog  where the Prime Minister has announced his decision to step down. Results: Leave 52%, Remain 48% with 382/382. Turnout 72.2% Remain: 16,141,241;  Leave: 17,410,742 Britain has voted to leave the European Union. The pound has plunged heavily, as the markets react to Brexit. Wales has voted Leave, with 18 of its 22 authorities having declared. Scotland has voted Remain by a margin of 62 per cent to 38 per cent, with all 32 council areas voting to stay in the EU. Turnout in the referendum

Thursday

The Spectator

Can you forgive him? | 23 June 2016

David Cameron bet everything on winning this European Union referendum. He lost. His resignation was inevitable, but the timing was not. Indeed, scores of pro-Brexit Tory MPs had signed a letter asking him to stay as Prime Minister – or, at the very least, not walk out of No.10 on the morning after the vote. Yes, he would not be the best person to lead Brexit talks – but these talks could be several months, perhaps years away. So there was no reason to rush for the exit and plenty reason not to do so. Brexit vote was always going to create uncertainty in the financial markets. Adding political uncertainty, in the form of a Prime Ministerial resignation,

Andrew Roberts

Has Jeremy Corbyn rebelled against himself and voted Leave?

How do you think Jeremy Corbyn voted in the privacy of the booth? Might he have kept his 100 per cent record of rebellion by even rebelling against himself, and voting Leave in line with his long-held anti-EU beliefs? It won’t be long before politicians start tweeting selfies with their ballot papers; a ghastly development, obviously, but I’d like to have seen his. This is an extract from Andrew Roberts’ diary. The full article can be found here. 

Ed West Ed West

A bitter culture war has begun in Britain

I wrote a while back that the UK referendum wouldn’t be at all bitter or divisive, and I think it’s fair to say I was utterly, utterly wrong. I just hope whoever wins shows a spirit of magnanimity and conciliation, and tries to steer the country to the most moderate course available. Perhaps it was obvious that this debate would turn into a sort of British culture war, one that divided the country heavily over the issue of globalisation. As James Bartholomew points out in this week’s issue of The Spectator, the referendum has exposed a huge rift between the metropolitan elite and the rest. Although there is a very

Freddy Gray Freddy Gray

Ten handy phrases for bluffing your way through referendum night

Alright folks, this is the big one. It’s EU Referendum Night, and bluffers everywhere have been training hard. We’ve all been talking utter rot about Europe for months now. To distinguish yourself tonight, you need to bring your A-game, especially since there will be nothing much to say until at least 2 am. Here are ten starter phrases that should help you through any Brexit-related discussion. But I’m sure you can all think of many more. Just remember that nobody really knows what they are banging on about — least of all our politicians — so be imaginative, be bold, and blag for Britain (or Europe, depending on which way the

Nick Cohen Nick Cohen

Fascism is alive in Britain – on both the left and the right

At the time of writing, no one knows the result of Britain’s European Union referendum. But everyone has learned in the hardest manner imaginable that Britain has a fascist movement. A real fascist movement, that is. Not what students with incontinent tongues call ‘fascism’, which turns out to be the beliefs of anyone who disagrees with them. But actual fascism that legitimises racial hatred, conspiracy theory, ethnic cleansing and the assassination of left-wing politicians. Since the murder of Jo Cox we have learned another truth, which ought to be uncontroversial but is everywhere resisted. The far right and the far left are essentially the same. For all their voluble differences,

Steerpike Steerpike

Andrew Cooper bizarrely sets bar for Cameron: win referendum by 10 points

In last year’s general election, Andrew Cooper was left red-faced after his firm Populus’s final ‘prediction‘ of a 0.5 per cent chance of David Cameron winning a Tory majority turned out to be somewhat, em, pessimistic. Since then, Lord Cooper of 0.5 per cent has been on a PR offensive in an attempt to rebrand himself as the next Lynton Crosby — helped by his pal and former flatmate Lord Fink. So, with another election result looming, one could be forgiven for thinking Cooper may wish to be a bit more circumspect this time. It seems not. Today Populus has sent round its final poll for the EU referendum, showing that Remain should win by an astonishing ten points.  

Brendan O’Neill Brendan O’Neill

The EU may well survive today’s vote — but the left won’t

If you’ve heard a whirring noise in the background of today’s momentous vote, don’t worry: it’s just Tony Benn turning in his grave. Benn was one of Britain’s keenest, and most articulate critics of the European Union. He and other Labour grandees, along with top trade unionists, raged against the EU for being aloof and arrogant and for usurping parliament. Summoning up his Chartist soul, his love of the Levellers, his belief that radical Britons didn’t fight and die over centuries for the sovereignty of parliament just to see it overturned by some well-fed suits in Brussels, he would slam the EU for having not a ‘shred of accountability’ and

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Bookmakers odds: chance of Brexit plunges to all-time low of 15 per cent

As Britain goes to the polls to vote on the EU Referendum, the odds on Brexit are plummeting – to a new low of 17 per cent at the time of writing. The Spectator’s zoomable live odds chart, below, shows the speed of the decline. At 9am this morning it was 23pc, at 10.45am it was 19pc and by 11.30am it was 17pc. An hour later, 15pc. The chart should appear below – but while our site is especially busy it may take a few moments to load: This chimes with the opinion of everyone I’ve spoken to, in both Leave and Remain camps: there’s a chance of Brexit, but not

Douglas Murray

A Remain vote won’t reform the EU – but a Leave vote might

So the great day is here. Those of us who wish to vote ‘Leave’ will be heading to the polls in the hope that this is the eve of our nation’s independence. Those voting ‘Remain’ will obviously be heading to the polls hoping that the current status quo in Europe will continue. Throughout the campaign I have been repeatedly struck by how many undecided (as well as Remain voters) have told me that the EU is anything ranging from a ‘disaster zone’ to ‘a body badly in need of reform’. I would like to make a point to these people. As I pointed out in Foreign Affairs yesterday, if you

Helen Nugent

EU referendum, pension woes and the cost of teenagers

The European Union referendum dominates today’s papers. The Times reports that a series of eleventh hour polls suggest the vote is too close to call, with the country split down the middle over the economy and immigration. After a bitterly fought four-month campaign, the Remain and Leave camps were separated by two percentage points, according to three surveys. A YouGov poll for The Times put Remain on 51 per cent against 49 for Leave. Meanwhile, holidaymakers nervous about what may happen to the pound after today are rushing to stock up on foreign currency, with the Post Office reporting a 380 per cent surge in online orders. The Guardian reports that the Post

John Osullivan

A sadder, wiser referendum

In June 1975, I was given the heavy responsibility of writing the Telegraph’s ‘light’ op-ed on the conduct of the first Euro-referendum campaign, which duly appeared on the day of the vote. My theme was that it had been the nicest possible stitch-up. ‘From the establishment and the respectable anti-establishment, from the Economist and the New Statesman, from the Lord Feather [of the TUC] and Mr Campbell Adamson [of the CBI], from Mr Wilson and Mr Heath, from the Royal Commission Volunteers to “Actors and Actresses for Europe”, the same advice, the same dire predictions of life outside the Market…’ It rings loud bells today. ‘Mr Barrie Heath told the

Wednesday

The Spectator

Letters | 22 June 2016

European identity Sir: Alexander Chancellor (Long life, 18 June) echoes the widely accepted view of the European Union as a ‘bulwark against the nationalism that is rising again’. The European project was, of course, conceived as a means of averting the catastrophes that nationalism wreaked upon Europe during the 20th century. However, in practice the EU has stoked nationalism within its constituent member states. As a top-down, elite-driven process, EU integration has crucially failed to mobilise the masses in favour of a common European identity that transcends national allegiances. Combine this with a simultaneous erosion of state sovereignty and the EU’s democratic deficit, and it is not difficult to understand why