Politics Archives

Wednesday

8 Jun 2016

Cock-up or conspiracy, Leave won’t like the vote registration extension

The government’s announcement of a 48-hour extension to the voter registration deadline has surprised those who were sitting in the Commons only a few hours ago, who heard Matt Hancock agree with Bernard Jenkin that an extension any longer than a ‘short period’ would make this country look like a joke. The length of time that has been announced is to allow voters to get the message that registration is still open, and then for them to find time to complete the process. But as James tweeted a few minutes ago, there are already conspiracy theories flying about that this has all been orchestrated to benefit the Remain side. Senior

Lloyd Evans

PMQs Sketch: Cameron was both the fibber and the whistle-blower

Is Corbo working for the Tories? The Labour leader was such a pushover today that Cameron turned what should have been a televised monstering into a party political broadcast on behalf of left-wing Conservatism. Corbyn raised tax-avoidance, the minimum wage, and short-term contracts — three of Cameron’s strongest issues. The PM boasted that prosecutions of minimum wage defaulters have leaped fifteen-fold since 2010. On tax evasion, he trilled, ‘I made it the centrepiece of my G8’. And on short-term contracts he reminded the droopy-shouldered Mr Corbyn that exclusivity clauses had been outlawed under the Coalition. Is Corbyn seriously trying to ambush the PM with arguments that were settled a parliament-and-a-half ago?

Charles Moore

Revealed: Rodney Leach’s verdict on Brexit

One of the most influential and learned figures in the British European debate is Rodney Leach. In the 1990s, he helped lead those of his fellow businessmen who became convinced that the abolition of the pound would be a disaster. He was a moving spirit in Business for Sterling and then in the ‘No’ campaign against the euro. This did much to persuade Gordon Brown, as Chancellor, to ditch euro entry plans in 2004. The following year, Lord Leach set up Open Europe, and continues as its chairman to this day. It is the most trusted think tank for research and debate on all EU questions, and is incredibly useful

James Forsyth

PMQs: Corbyn highlights Tory divisions, but Cameron knows he needs Labour

With the EU referendum just weeks away, Jeremy Corbyn is now trying to exploit Tory divisions over the issue. At PMQs today, he invited Cameron to attack both Priti Patel and Michael Gove. The Labour leader also criticised the whole decision to suspend collective responsibility. Cameron, aware of how much he needs Labour’s help between now and June 23rd, didn’t reply by highlighting Labour divisions over Trident or any other issue. However, as one listened to Cameron pointing out where his government had gone beyond the EU minimum on workers’ rights, one was reminded that the idea there’ll be no paid holiday if we leave the EU is just nonsense.

Andrew Green

Why Brexit wouldn’t leave voters out of pocket

The Treasury says that the cost of the UK leaving the EU would be £4,300 per household – but compared with what? We’re not told. As a cross-bencher, I naturally take very seriously the task of checking and challenging the work of the government so I put down two Parliamentary questions which eventually elicited the response that: ‘HM Treasury did not produce a forecast of how big the economy would be in 15 years’ time….’ Really? A whole report about the impact of Brexit by the year 2030, taking in hundreds of different factors – but no estimate about how big the economy would be by then? Why on earth not? The

Steerpike

Ukip’s David Coburn cries BBC bias… over ITV debate

Nowadays it’s difficult for the BBC to air anything without facing some accusation of bias. As well as the well documented strand of right-wing bias and EU bias, there’s now anti-Corbyn bias — with the BBC’s Nick Robinson even accusing his employer of the latter. Last night things got so bad in the EU debate with David Cameron and Nigel Farage that the Beeb were accused of pro-EU bias once more. Ukip’s David Coburn took to Twitter to vent that the ‘BBC Knew the questions in advance’ and ‘chose which audience members speak’ so Remain had an easier ride. Alas, the Scottish MEP concludes that ‘Cameron still lost despite Aunties

Tom Goodenough

How the papers reacted: Farage ‘destroyed’ as Cameron is ‘taken to task’ during live EU showdown

David Cameron and Nigel Farage both avoided making any disastrous blunders during last night’s TV showdown and for that reason alone they’ll be pleased with their performances. Those in the ‘Leave’ camp especially were concerned about what Farage might do or say when he took to the stage. On the basis of last night’s showing, however, they need not have worried too much (albeit for the moment he told a woman watching to calm down). But as with last week’s EU events involving the Prime Minister and Michael Gove, much of the press coverage doesn’t focus on the two politicians who took the stage. Instead, it’s those in the audience

Tuesday

7 Jun 2016

The Spectator

EU referendum TV debate – David Cameron vs Nigel Farage

Welcome to Coffee House’s coverage of ITV’s EU referendum debate. David Cameron and Nigel Farage faced public questions on the EU referendum. Here’s our commentary, as well as audio and video highlights, from the discussion. PODCAST: Listen to Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman give their verdict on Cameron vs Farage: DAVID CAMERON: James Forsyth David Cameron looked pretty happy at the end of that. He got his choice of opponent in this debate and did everything he could to take advantage of that, mentioning Farage at every opportunity. Cameron also benefited from going second, another thing which he got his way on, as he could rebut Farage’s points without any

Isabel Hardman

Rattled Cameron holds press conference to try to change EU referendum debate

One of the ways that Number 10 likes to signal to Westminster that it is taking a situation seriously is to hold a meeting in Cabinet Office Briefing Room A. Calling COBRA is a sign that this is a Crisis, and that the Government has got it under control, simply by meeting in a rather dull room. If the Crisis is a little more serious than all the issues that have summoned COBRA, such as Ash Dieback and horsemeat, then the most important thing that Number 10 can do is call a press conference with the Prime Minister. David Cameron doesn’t do that many press conferences at all, despite promising in

William Astor

William Astor: Why voting Leave won’t mean we leave the EU

It is difficult not to be Eurosceptic. The euro is in trouble, Greece has been bankrupted by Angela Merkel’s fiscal rules, and the Schengen agreement on open borders is collapsing as economic migration seems impossible to stop. Genuine refugees are sadly lost in the human tide of misery landing on the shores of Greece and Italy. And the democratic deficit which allows the European Union to be so unaccountable is leading to the rise of extreme nationalist political parties all over Europe. The result – Bulgaria has a lamentable justice system, Poland has introduced illiberal media laws and Hungary’s constitution has been hijacked. The EU is in danger of collapse unless it undertakes serious

Isabel Hardman

MPs turn Treasury Questions into extended referendum campaign session

The Commons may have rather big legislation to debate at the moment, but the government itself seems to have tuned out until after the referendum is over. There was no Cabinet meeting this morning, and ministers are busy fighting one another at campaign events, rather than bustling about in their departments. Even departmental question sessions have changed from being an opportunity for backbenchers to ask questions about the work of Whitehall and ministers to session where the two camps in the EU referendum work together to get their messages into Hansard. Treasury questions today was a prime example. Yes, there were questions about the Northern Powerhouse and cuts to disability

Steerpike

Ken Livingstone makes a comeback

After Ken Livingstone claimed that Hitler supported Zionism, he found himself suspended from the Labour and his media presence dwindle — as he was let go from his weekly LBC show. Happily, the former Mayor of London has found a publication that still wants him. Step forward the Morning Star. Yes, the socialist paper has decided that Livingstone — who recently said ‘a real anti-Semite doesn’t just hate the Jews in Israel’ — has all the makings of a star columnist. In his first column, on the Queen’s Speech, Red Ken makes sure to thank the publication for its faith in him: ‘First, I would like to thank the Morning Star

Monday

6 Jun 2016

James Forsyth

The Andrew Neil Interviews: Hilary Benn dragged out Remain’s immigration agony

The first of the BBC’s series of prime-time EU referendum events took place this evening, with Andrew Neil interviewing Hilary Benn. The programme highlighted both the uneasy relationship between Benn and his leader Jeremy Corbyn and the Remain campaign’s difficulty in dealing with the immigration issue. Andrew Neil began by putting to Hilary Benn a very Eurosceptic quote from Jeremy Corbyn about the EU from the Maastricht debate of the 1990s and asking Benn what Corbyn got wrong. To which Benn replied, rather uncomfortably, that the ‘Jeremy of today’ supports Britain staying in the EU. The Benn / Corbyn tensions were a feature of the interview as the shadow foreign

Tom Goodenough

Today in audio: ‘Remain’ fights back as PM warns of Brexit ‘bomb’

Momentum in the ‘Leave’ campaign seems to be growing after Brexit took the lead in two polls out today. There are, however, still several weeks until the actual day of the EU referendum and the gap between the two sides remains marginal (four per cent). But ‘Remain’ still seem shaken by these polls. Here’s how they spent the day fighting back: David Cameron said Brexit would put a bomb under Britain’s economy, going on to say that ‘the worst thing is, we would have lit the fuse ourselves’: The PM was backed up Lib Dem leader Tim Farron. In a joint event, Farron said the argument for ‘Leave’ was built

Steerpike

Edwina Currie gives John Major reason to blush

Yesterday John Major made a return to frontline politics as he waded into the EU debate on the Andrew Marr show. Major ensured that he attracted viewers’ attention as he launched a fierce attack on ‘court jester’ Boris Johnson. Now he is attracting attention once again today but — this time — Mr S suspects that the former Prime Minister will not appreciate the reason he is suddenly en vogue. After Major put forward the case for Remain on Sunday, his former mistress Edwina Currie has been doing her bit today. The former Conservative MP — took to Twitter to share her view that remaining in the EU would allow the fish industry to prosper. The

James Forsyth

Vote Leave has brought out its Turkish weapon

Vote Leave feel that they now have the momentum in this campaign. The three polls out today all have them ahead. Inside the Leave camp, they think that it is their focus on the possibility of Turkey becoming an EU member that is, in part, responsible for this apparent shift in their favour. So, in their official referendum address, which will go to 40 million people, Vote Leave is going big on the question of Turkish accession. The leaflet — which you can see here — has a map on the back showing how if Turkey joins, the EU would border both Syria and Iraq. Now, I can already hear

Steerpike

GMB union boss’s sexist Brexit attack

Oh dear. With Remain lagging behind Leave in today’s EU referendum polls, the In camp need to turn things around fast. Alas this memo has failed to reach Tim Roache, the GMB leader. Speaking at the union’s annual congress, Roache attempted to put forward the liberal case for Remain. However, while he did praise workers’ rights in the EU, it’s his comment relating to Priti Patel that will be remembered. Discussing the Brexiteer, he said that Patel’s name contained a contradiction: ‘Priti Patel, surely a contradiction in her name.’ While his sexist comment deserves no place in the debate, Mr S suspects that Roach’s own surname now seems rather fitting. Update: Roache now

Isabel Hardman

Nationalist sentiment won’t fix Scottish Labour’s identity crisis

Scottish Labour is in a pretty bleak place at the moment. It is recovering from its second drubbing in an election in two years, and its leadership is naturally scratching its head about how on earth to recover. So the consultation that the party has launched this week that includes questions of whether it should separate itself further from the UK party is in many ways not a surprise. But what is perhaps striking is that the party thinks that this could help its predicament in Scotland. It is another way in which it is giving in to the nationalist narrative of Scotland being separate and different to the UK, and

Nick Cohen

Brexit could leave Britain with the worst of both worlds – like Norway

This is a translation of an article I wrote for the Norwegian daily VG Never since the German attack on Norway in 1940 destroyed Neville Chamberlain’s premiership and brought Winston Churchill to power, has your country been so discussed in Britain. Supporters of Britain staying in the EU warn of Norway’s ‘fax democracy’. The ‘leave’ campaign denounce Norwegian politicians who tell us about the dangers of following the Norwegian example, as liars bought with EU gold. There has been propaganda from both sides, of course, but the sheer lack of substance behind the ‘leave’ campaign is stunning. The right-wing politicians, who dominate the anti-European cause, want the British to take

Isabel Hardman

Tory fights about ‘con tricks’ make the post-referendum repair job even harder

Time was when the main argument between the two campaigns in the EU referendum was about who was running the most negative show (not, of course, about the matter in hand). The Remain campaign were talking down Britain, pro-Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson complained, while the In side argued that Leave was trying to frighten people. But with just days to go, the debate has changed, and is now all about who is telling the biggest whoppers. Yesterday Sir John Major launched his extraordinary attack on top Tories campaigning for Brexit, accusing them of speaking ‘absolute hogwash’ and ‘nonsense’ about the European Union, and arguing that ‘as the leader Boris