Politics

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

Tuesday

Alex Massie Alex Massie

The dreadful state of British politics | 25 September 2018

Conference season always shows our political parties at their worst. It would be a kindness if these things were not televised. These dungeons cannot withstand the intrusion of too much daylight. On the other hand, some things are evident. Chiefly, it is now beyond clear that Brexit has broken both parties. More than that, it has overwhelmed a hopelessly overmatched political class that plainly lacks the ability to make sense of the Brexit fiasco and, just as pertinently, the courage to look reality in the face. This government – this hopeless government, I should say – is kept alive by only one thing: the impossibility of the opposition. In turn,

Katy Balls Katy Balls

Keir Starmer’s Brexit speech triggers Labour barney

Well, that lasted long. From the moment Keir Starmer left the conference stage after setting out Labour’s Brexit position, rumours began to circulate that all wasn’t as it seemed. When the shadow Brexit secretary spoke in the conference hall this morning, he received a standing ovation for pledging to keep all options open on Brexit – including the option to remain in the EU; ‘Nobody is ruling out remain as an option.’ However, less than an hour later and dissent has broken out on the conference hall over the party position – and whether the shadow Brexit secretary correctly articulated the official policy. As Steerpike reports, that passage of the speech was

Steerpike Steerpike

Scottish Labour leader’s conference snub

It’s fair to say to say that the leader of Scottish Labour, Richard Leonard has struggled to make his mark since he was elected in 2017. While the position used to automatically command respect as the figurehead of the dominant party north of the border, after several catastrophic elections, Labour and the position have been relegated to the periphery of Scottish politics while the Conservatives and SNP take up the main stage. But while Leonard may be used to being sidelined in Scotland, you would hope that he would receive a little more love and recognition at his own party conference in Liverpool. Unfortunately not. It appears that even the

Steerpike Steerpike

Keir Starmer goes off script in Brexit conference speech

This year’s Labour conference has been praised for adopting a more professional tone than previous years. However, today that message appears to have been lost. After the party pulled plans at the last minute for a female deputy leader, Keir Starmer appears to have gone off script in his big Brexit conference speech. Sir Keir Starmer: "Nobody is ruling out Remain as an option" Shadow #Brexit Secretary receives rapturous applause from #Lab18 on prospect of second Brexit vote https://t.co/l7Mjii6DmY pic.twitter.com/NOMOqu0H2Y — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 25, 2018 The shadow Brexit secretary was met with applause when he appeared to keep the idea of a second EU referendum on the table

Fredrik Erixon

Sweden’s PM is out – but for how long?

If Theresa May feels a bit disoriented and lonely – under pressure from her own friends in parliament – she could take some comfort in that she isn’t trying to run a government in Sweden. The country’s election delivered an inconclusive result. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and his red-green coalition government lost a lot of its support, but the four-party centre-right alliance didn’t win many new souls. No side commands a majority – or something remotely close to it. The only parties that made substantial gains were those that no other party wants to take into government – the extreme left and the populist-nationalist Sweden Democrats. This morning the new

The Spectator

Full text: Keir Starmer’s Labour conference speech on Brexit

Conference, the last two years have not been easy. Like many of you, I was devastated by the referendum result. Like many of you, I’d campaigned passionately to stay in the EU. Not for the technical benefits – important though they are. But because I’m an internationalist. Because I believe that nations achieve more together than they do alone. I believe that the greatest challenges facing our nation –  armed conflict, terrorism, climate change or  unchecked globalisation – can best be met together with our EU partners. And the greatest opportunities –  medical research, scientific advancement, art and culture – can only be realised together with our EU partners. Those values did not die on 23

Katy Balls Katy Balls

Corbyn and Watson rift claims its first victim: a new female deputy

The Tom Watson/Jeremy Corbyn feud has claimed its first conference victim: a female deputy leader. Plans to create a new deputy leader role specifically for a female have been dropped this morning at the last minute after Corbyn’s team grew nervous – and blame is being placed firmly with his deputy Tom Watson. When the role was first thought up, it was seen as a way to undermine Watson – a man who has firmly fallen out of favour with the Corbyn regime – while also scoring some points politically for promoting women. After all, Labour are behind the Tories on gender equality here thanks to the fact they have

Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Kate Hoey’s Brexit warning to Corbynistas

The Corbynistas don’t have much time for Kate Hoey, the Labour MP and ardent Brexiteer. Owen Jones accused Hoey of propping up a government that is leading Britain ‘into calamity’ by refusing to vote down the Tories over Brexit. But the MP for Vauxhall has a message for her critics: it isn’t me you should worry about. Instead, Hoey said, Corbyn’s supporters should keep an eye on the likes of Chuka Umunna and other Labour MPs calling for a second referendum. Their support for a ‘people’s vote’ has little to do with Brexit, she said, and more to do with trying to make life difficult for Jeremy Corbyn. Here’s what

Steerpike Steerpike

Through the looking glass: Labour’s future foreign policy

To the dismay of many of Jeremy Corbyn’s parliamentary colleagues, foreign policy is the Labour leader’s main passion. Corbyn rarely appears more animated than when discussing the plight of Palestinians – or lambasting the Saudi Arabian government. So, Mr S listened with interest as Corbyn’s closest allies gathered at Labour conference for a Stop the War fringe event. Corbyn adviser (and former Communist Party of Britain member) Andrew Murray was joined by shadow cabinet members Richard Burgon and Diane Abbott along with Chris Williamson for the packed event titled Why We Need An Anti-War Government. To kick proceedings off, Williamson said the party was making history: ‘We often talk about recapturing

Tom Goodenough Tom Goodenough

Why Labour’s Brexit MPs are finally feeling more upbeat

Kate Hoey has paid a heavy price for being a supporter of Brexit. The Labour MP has been hounded online and faced a vicious deselection battle in her Vauxhall constituency from activists who say that she has no place representing an area in which nearly eight in ten voters backed ‘Remain’. But rather than change her mind, Hoey has stuck to her guns. At a Labour Leave event on the fringes of the party’s conference in Liverpool, Hoey had a message for her critics: there’s no contradiction in backing Brexit and being a leftie. Hoey wasn’t the only Labour MP making that point at last night’s event. Graham Stringer, who

The Spectator

Labour’s conference, day three: The Spectator guide

It’s Brexit day at Labour conference: Keir Starmer will be on his feet in the conference hall this morning, detailing the party’s plan for leaving the EU. Diane Abbott and Emily Thornberry will also be speaking. And there’s plenty of action on the fringes, including Tom Watson – who was sidelined from the main stage – popping up: Labour conference: 9:30: Morning Plenary Session: NEC and CLP Constitutional Amendments 10:10: Brexit and the economy Brexit secretary Keir Starmer 12.30: Rebecca Long-Bailey 12:40: Votes 1415: Afternoon Plenary Session: 14:45: Emily Thornberry 14:30: Security at home and abroad 17.10: Diane Abbott 17:30: Votes   Fringe events: 10:00: If Not Leave, What? Lord Adonis, Polly

Monday

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Labour Left plans to force Jeremy Corbyn into deselection process to make a point

Jeremy Corbyn could be subject to a trigger ballot designed for the deselection of MPs, under plans discussed tonight by members of one of his most supportive party groups. The Labour Representation Committee, from which both Corbyn and John McDonnell hail, met this evening to discuss how to get its way when it comes to party democracy. Save for when McDonnell popped in to thank the LRC for continuing to organise when it looked as though the Left would never win a foothold in the party, the mood was one of frustration. Members were largely cheerful yet also irritated that plans for ‘open selections’ – more commonly known as mandatory

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Could Theresa May win back her majority? Yes she can, says Ruth Davidson

When a politician writes a personal book, it’s normally coded audition for the party leadership. Ruth Davidson launched book, Yes She Can, with a declaration that she didn’t want to be Prime Minister and earlier on this evening she explained why to Andrew Neil. The idea of her as leader was started by David Cameron, she said. When visiting her in Scotland, he was asked who he’d like to succeed him and pointed to her. “I’ve been dogged by that ever since,” she said, “so I thought I’d lay that to rest.” While also laying out her own politics, and the direction she’d like wants the party to take. Why

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Labour’s welfare reform problem

Angela Rayner, one of the ‘rising stars’ of Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench, received rapt applause from Labour members when she spoke to the conference. It wasn’t just that she gave a passionate, warm and funny speech. It was also that she came armed with policies that the party faithful really liked, such as ending the academisation of schools and halting the free schools programme. Even though the roots of these school reforms are in New Labour, they’ve become steadily more unpopular since the Conservatives extended and modified the programmes themselves. Announcing their end as part of Labour’s National Education Service was always going to be a popular move. In that same

Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Ex-Corbyn spinner gets schooled on Sky News

Dawn Butler’s decision to back Militant didn’t go down well on the first day of Labour conference, but the shadow equalities minister can still count on Corbyn’s loyal defenders to stick up for her. Former spinner for the Labour leader, Matt Zarb-Cousin, rushed to Butler’s defence on Sky News. But when he was asked to explain why Butler was right he was somewhat less certain. Instead it fell to his fellow guest Stephanie Lloyd to explain the error of his ways: Oh dear. But Mr S isn’t convinced that Zarb-Cousin will have learnt his lesson…

Steerpike Steerpike

Watch: Labour supporting teacher on getting rid of Tories

A teacher and Labour party member has just taken to the stage at the party’s conference talking of the importance of giving kids a good education. Sensible enough, you might think. Except for the fact that Sion Rickard said that if children were educated properly it would mean that Tories would no longer exist. Here’s what he said: ‘I’ve never met a bad four-year-old. I’ve never met a four-year-old that was evil. So every child has a chance and if we give them a proper education, we’ll empty our prisons, we’ll have much less problems with our NHS, social issues… We’ll probably not have any Tories because we’ll have brought

Robert Peston Robert Peston

The widening gulf between May and the Brexiters

There is widespread, fevered speculation that the prime minister will move away from her Chequers plan for a future relationship with the EU at this afternoon’s Cabinet, under intense pressure from her ministerial colleagues. Having now spoken to several ministers, I am clear that she will stand firm on Chequers, and there probably won’t be a concerted and coordinated effort TODAY from the Brexiters in her team – Gove, Fox, Leadsom, Mordaunt and McVey – to shift her towards the kind of free trade proposal preferred by Boris Johnson, David Davis, Jacob Rees-Mogg and the European Research Group. That said, and as I’ve mentioned before, it is becoming harder and

Steerpike Steerpike

Diane Abbott’s immigration plan fails to add up

What would the government’s immigration policy look like if Diane Abbott was Home Secretary? Abbott’s speech on the fringe of the Labour conference made it clear what it won’t be, even if what it will be is less certain. It won’t involve immigration detention centres, which Abbott has vowed to shut down. The shadow home secretary expressed her disbelief after her former opposite number Amber Rudd told her that places like Yarl’s Wood were necessary because some of those awaiting deportation were violent: ‘I said: ‘How can that be?’ ‘Even in the prison estate, the actual prison estate for actual prisoners, only a fraction of them have (been) convicted of

Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

John McDonnell’s unashamedly socialist pitch to Labour conference

John McDonnell started his Labour conference speech with a tribute to his ‘friend’ Jeremy Corbyn, praising the way in which the Labour leader had held his nerve while being attacked in the press. As united as the two men may be, the Shadow Chancellor certainly gave the impression today that the Conservatives would have much more reason to fear a McDonnell-led Labour. His speech contained a cogent analysis of where things were going wrong for the British economy, and a clear explanation of what Labour would do to fix those problems. One of the things that Labour strategists have picked up from recent focus groups in the key seats –

The Spectator

Full text: John McDonnell’s Labour conference speech

I want to start by thanking the Treasury Team: Peter Dowd, Shadow Chief Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, Annaliese Dodds, Clive Lewis, Lynne Brown, Lord Dennis Tunnicliffe, Lord Bryan Davies and PPS Thelma Walker who won back Colne Valley from the Tories last year. This month is the 10th anniversary of the financial crash. J.K.Galbraith in his book on the 1929 crash said sure you can try to create institutions to avoid crashes in the future but the best protection is memory. So it’s worth remembering. The causes of the crash were: Yes, greed; yes, the deregulation that turned the City into a multibillion pound casino, but more importantly it was caused