Politics

Boris Johnson’s election campaign has got off to a dismal start but it seems Labour is determined to catch up. Diane Abbott appeared on the Today programme this morning to discuss her party’s anti-Semitism problem. But Mr S isn’t convinced her defence will convince many voters that things are all OK: Nick Robinson: Do you accept you haven’t done enough (to resolve the problem of anti-Semitism)? Diane Abbott: ‘…it’s not every element of the Jewish community that believes Jeremy is an anti-Semite.’ NR: ‘Well every major Jewish newspaper says it, every major Jewish representative body says it.’ DA: ‘Yeah, well, the Hasidic community in Stamford Hill doesn’t say that…’ Hardly

Alun Cairns has resigned as Wales Secretary following claims he knew about a former aide’s role in the collapse of a rape trial. Cairns said he made the decision to quit ‘in light of continued speculation’ over what he called a ‘sensitive matter’. Cairns’ former advisor Ross England was condemned by a judge after making claims in court about a rape victim’s sexual history. His remarks led to the trial’s collapse in April 2018. Cairns said he did not know about the case but BBC Wales subsequently reported that the Tory MP was sent an email last year making reference to the trial. In his resignation letter to the Prime

The cliche, from my memory already creaking under the political strain, is that oppositions never win elections, governments lose them. Well this election is only a few hours old and Boris Johnson and his team – who let’s not forget – have been gagging for this election for months are doing a spectacular job of mucking it up. There’s been Jacob Rees-Mogg and Andrew Bridgen engaging in a humiliating double act of insensitivity towards the victims of the Grenfell tragedy. There’s been the Tory candidate in the Gower revealed to have said benefit claimants should be put down. There’s been the pressure on the Welsh secretary Alun Cairns not to stand in the election