Politics

The term ‘progressive’ has been much abused in the past decade. Originally a term denoting enlightenment and social universalism, it became synonymous with the tribalism of identity politics and unenlightened transgender ideology. But perhaps this new ‘woke’ variant of progressivism has had its day. At any rate, change is in the air in Scotland.  The chaotic disintegration of the Green-SNP alliance has left the bien pensant radicals in Scotland in poor shape. That ‘progressive coalition’ has been replaced with a small ‘c’ conservative alliance between John Swinney, a middle-aged white male if ever there was one, and Kate Forbes, his new deputy – who is unapologetic about her faith-based views on key LGBT issues

When it comes to social media, parents find it difficult enough to keep up with their offspring’s online world. What hope, then, do governments and regulators have of keeping up with digital technology? This week, Ofcom has announced a new code of practice which aims to use powers granted under the Online Safety Act in order to ‘tame aggressive algorithms’. Such a move seems well-meaning, but official bodies will always be several steps behind the latest online trends. The onerous-sounding new rules will probably end up restricting the online freedom of less savvy adults more than of children.  A decade or so ago, parents had no idea about the potential

A couple of weeks ago we were told it was Rishi Sunak’s best week ever. Now, it is hard to even remember why. The Rwanda Bill was passed, and the Prime Minister had some important photocalls playing statesman with European allies. Now it seems nothing the party can do will shift the dial. The local elections suggest this is the case. Number 10 have pointed to the projected national share (PNS) of the results, which suggests there will be a hung parliament at the next election. This is statistically illiterate self-delusion. The PNS is a flawed metric which ignores differential turnout, regional variations and overweighs the success that minor parties

Liz Truss calls them the ‘deep state’, Dominic Cummings ‘the blob’ and for Sue Gray they are simply former colleagues. But most of the public – and indeed, most of the political class – know very little about them at all. Permanent secretaries and directors general, the two most senior rungs of the civil service, wield substantial power and influence. This is not shadowy or improper, but their job. When ministers make a decision, they usually do so on the basis of advice shaped by their department’s top officials. When civil servants have concerns about the propriety of a task, it is senior officials who guide them. And permanent secretaries

David Lammy has never been much of a diplomat. The veteran Labour MP is fond of lashing out at his critics, but now, as shadow foreign secretary, he has travelled to the United States to lay the groundwork for a future Labour government’s foreign policy. He may find that some of his earlier oratorical fury comes back to haunt him. He called Trump ‘a racist KKK and Nazi sympathiser’ Lammy has compared Conservative MPs in the European Research Group to Nazis and supporters of apartheid South Africa. In 2013, when the BBC wondered if the smoke seen after the next round of the papal conclave would be black or white