Politics Archives

Wednesday

8 Feb 2017

Will Philip Hammond’s Budget reveal the truth behind the Surrey ‘sweetheart deal’?

Isabel Hardman has been investigating the social care issue in Surrey for the Spectator in recent days. Yesterday, she spoke to the man whose texts Jeremy Corbyn quoted at PMQs today, the leader of Surrey County Council, David Hodge. Isabel and Hodge spoke just after Tory-run Surrey County Council had made the decision not to hold a referendum on a 15 per cent council tax increase to pay for social care. He told Isabel that ‘we have always believed that there was a way forward which wouldn’t involve a council tax referendum and I genuinely believe that the government now understands the scale of the crisis’. Hodge seems to think that

James Forsyth

The House of Commons votes for Brexit

The drink will be flowing in the government whips’ office tonight. For the Brexit Bill has passed through the Commons unamended and with an absolutely thumping majority at third reading of 372. This means that a clean bill will go to the House of Lords. This will strengthen the government’s hand there as peers will be more reluctant to make changes to a clean bill and one that has passed the Commons with such a large majority. Despite all the talk of knife-edge votes, the government’s majorities tonight were pretty comfortable—30 or above on all the amendments. In part, this was because of the government conceding just enough—the ‘Dear Colleague’

James Forsyth

Clive Lewis resigns from Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow Cabinet, will he now run for Labour leader?

Clive Lewis, the shadow Business Secretary has resigned from the shadow Cabinet. He has said that he couldn’t vote for an unamended Article 50 Bill, as the Labour front bench were being whipped to do, and so has quit Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow Cabinet. The question now becomes, does Lewis run for the leadership? He is now the bookmakers’ favourite (Ladbrokes has him at 5/1) and he’d be a far stronger candidate than Owen Smith. He was one of Corbyn’s original backers in 2015 and has strong left-wing credentials yet he demonstrated pragmatism on Trident and the nuclear deterrent. His resignation will give him more appeal among the hard-core pro-European wing

Steerpike

George Osborne continues to cash in from the backbench

Another month, another declaration of extra-income from the former Chancellor of the Exchequer. According to the latest register of interests, George Osborne brought in over £90,000 last month for just five hours work. This means that Osborne managed to out earn his annual MP’s salary of £74,962 in less than a day. Mr S praises the ex-chancellor for continuing to prove — despite his previous warnings — that Brexit isn’t so bad for business after all.

Lloyd Evans

Jeremy Corbyn blows a golden chance to roast Theresa May

How to sabotage a deadly ambush. This was Jeremy Corbyn’s contribution to the political play-book today. He came to Parliament lethally armed. A cache of secret messages apparently between a Government wonk and the leader of Surrey County Council suggest some very shady goings-on. Mr Corbyn’s task was simple. Read out the intercepts and watch Mrs May squirm. He duly recited the incriminating information. And it was astonishing. It was unanswerable. The PM was accused of conspiracy. How would she plead? Well, she didn’t. She couldn’t say a word because Mr Corbyn was busy wittering on, muddling the issue, and giving his foe a priceless gift. Time. Time to think.

James Forsyth

Jeremy Corbyn ambushes Theresa May at PMQs

Jeremy Corbyn ‘won’ PMQs today thanks to an old-fashioned ambush. The Labour leader had copies of texts that the leader of Surrey County Council thought he was sending to Nick at DCLG, presumably Sajid Javid’s special adviser Nick King, but which he had actually sent to another person. The texts seemed to suggest that a Tory government had done a secret deal with a Tory council to see off a referendum there on raising council tax by 15 per cent to fund social care. Now, the suggestion that a government—whose Chancellor and Health Secretary are both Surrey MPs—was doing backroom deals with one of the richest county councils in the

Tom Goodenough

Will Theresa May’s Article 50 plan emerge unscathed from its final Commons test today?

After two days of testing Commons debates, Theresa May’s Brexit timetable remains on track. Yesterday’s ‘concession’ – or non-concession, depending on how you look at it – by ministers did enough to limit the extent of the Tory rebellion (only seven Conservative MPs went against the Government, despite earlier reports that as many as 20 backbenchers were considering doing so). This meant the Government’s Article 50 bill emerged unscathed. Of course all that could change this afternoon. Today’s debate will be the last opportunity for MPs hoping to tinker with the bill which will kick start Brexit. In the spirit of this week’s mammoth sessions, it’ll be another long debate,

Steerpike

No 10’s secret weapon

On Tuesday, the Daily Politics aired a segment lifting the lid on the staff in No 10. Among the power players featured were the Prime Minister’s chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, her press secretary Lizzie Loudon and a man by the name of… Philip May. ‘One more activist seen working at CCHQ made his way into No 10. An investment guru pictured phone banking at a recent by-election campaign — otherwise known as Philip May.’ Mr S can disclose that it was at a Sleaford telephone canvassing session Philip was snapped — though he is thought to make a regular habit of lending an ear: One to watch…

Gavin Mortimer

Is Emmanuel Macron the doomed heir to Blair?

I have a friend who lost three members of his family when an Islamic extremist drove a truck down the Promenade des Anglais in Nice on Bastille Day. When we saw each other at Christmas he said he had yet to decide whether to cast his vote for François Fillon or Marine Le Pen in the election, the two presidential candidates he considered best placed to restore law and order to France. When I asked what he thought of Emmanuel Macron he laughed. It was a cold contemptuous laugh. In the weeks since, I’ve conducted my ‘Macron Test’ on a number of occasions, throwing his name into the conversation with

Tom Goodenough

What the papers say: John Bercow the ‘pipsqueak’ and Sajid Javid’s missed opportunity

John Bercow has defended his comments about Donald Trump by saying his remarks were made ‘honestly and honourably’. Today’s editorials, however, do not see it that way. ‘This time he has gone too far,’ says the Daily Mail, which calls the Speaker an ‘egotistical publicity speaker’ and a ‘pipsqueak’. The Mail goes on to say that Bercow has shown that he is far from politically neutral. It calls the Speaker – who has welcomed visitors from North Korea to Parliament – a hypocrite, and says that his ‘persistent bias’ and ‘lavish expenses’ also show that he is not an asset to the Commons. So what should Bercow do? The answer, the

Steerpike

Glenda Jackson bemoans Labour’s losing streak

How times have changed. When Jeremy Corbyn first entered the Labour leadership race in the summer of 2015, Glenda Jackson — the former MP for Hampstead and Kilburn — wrote to him saying her only regret of not standing at the last election was that it meant she was unable to nominate him for the leadership. Has she now had a change of heart? Speaking at yesterday’s Oldie of the Year awards — where the 80-year-old actress picked up the top gong –. Jackson seemed less than pleased with the state of her party under Corbyn. Paying tribute to Bernie Sanders, Jackson said the Labour party, too, will have to get used to losing:

Katy Balls

Government staves off a Brexit rebellion

For a second day running, the government yesterday defeated all amendments proposed to its Brexit bill. Most notably, MPs voted down Chris Leslie’s Labour amendment that would have stopped ministers striking a Brexit agreement until it had been passed by MPs and peers, by a comfortable majority of 33. This was an issue the government worried would inspire a Tory rebellion. David Jones, the Brexit minister, attempted to placate Parliamentarians by announcing that MPs would have a say on the final draft Brexit agreement before it was voted upon by the European Parliament. While Keir Starmer was quick to hail this as a ‘huge and very important concession’, it turned out

Tuesday

7 Feb 2017

Steerpike

Hard Brexiteers are like jihadis, says Tory MP

As the committee stage of the government’s Brexit bill rolls on, MPs have been debating a range of amendments. Signalling that she could back an amendment on parliamentary sovereignty, Claire Perry – a former transport minister defenestrated in Theresa May’s purge of the Osbornites – said that she had been left disappointed by the attitude of some of her colleagues who back what she called a “hard” Brexit. Some people get all hysterical, she was saying. To make this point in a calm and restrained manner helpful to the debate, Perry compared some MPs who support hard-Brexit to Islamic fundamentalists. ‘I feel sometimes I’m sitting along with colleagues who are like jihadis in their support for

Tom Goodenough

What should we make of the Government’s ‘Deal or no Deal’ Brexit vote offer?

Given Theresa May’s largely meaningless ‘Brexit means Brexit’ refrain, any new pronouncement on Britain’s departure from the EU is treated like gold dust. But Keir Starmer fell into the trap of thinking Brexit minister David Jones’ opening remarks today had offered up a bigger morsel than they actually had. Jones confirmed, as Theresa May has already made clear, that Parliament will vote on the Brexit deal. He said, too, that the vote would cover the future trading relationship between Britain and the EU, which had not previously been known. And the Commons was also told some more details on the timing of the vote, which will come, Jones confirmed, before

Steerpike

Mary Cameron gives Corbyn a fashion critique

It was a family affair at this year’s Oldie of the Year awards. The magazine’s new editor-in-chief Harry Mount — who paid tribute to his predecessor, the great Alexander Chancellor — was joined by his second cousin, David Cameron. The former prime minister told hacks at the reception how much he missed Larry, the No 10 cat. However, it was Cameron’s mother Mary who stole the show. As Lord Dubs and Vanessa Redgrave took home gongs for being both old and politically active, Mary Cameron picked up the ‘mothers know best’ award. Presenting the gong, Gyles Brandreth commended Mary for managing something no politician — bar possibly Diane Abbott — has

Tom Goodenough

Will there be fireworks on day two of the Brexit bill debate?

The Government’s Article 50 bill emerged unscathed from yesterday’s first committee stage. Today won’t be so easy. As Isabel Hardman pointed out in her coverage of last night’s session, the real fireworks are expected this afternoon. The session will kick off at 1.30pm and end at around 8.30pm – giving seven hours for MPs to work their way through a series of amendments. Whether these pass or not will be the difference between Theresa May meeting or breaking her self-imposed deadline of triggering Article 50 by April Fools Day. The list of amendments which will be voted on tonight is – like yesterday’s order paper – a long one. A

Steerpike

Inside the Tories’s ‘black-and-white’ ball for the ‘just about managing’ donor class

The Conservatives’ black-tie billionaire-laden black-and-white ball ain’t what it used to be. Although Nigella Lawson’s former personal assistant once complained that she would ‘rather go to jail than live in Battersea’, top Tories had to brush such qualms aside as they headed to Battersea Evolution for the annual fundraiser. Happily Mr S had a mole on the inside to keep him up to date on the new look event. In keeping with Theresa May’s ‘just about managing’ agenda, activists were bussed in on cut-price £75 tickets to join the millionaires and frontbenchers at the event. In that vein, the pricier items — including a private cabaret performance and grouse shooting weekend — were

Tom Goodenough

What the papers say: Why Bercow was wrong – or right – to speak out about Trump

John Bercow has grabbed the headlines this morning with his pronouncement on Donald Trump’s state visit. But was he right to voice his opinions about the President? No, says the Daily Telegraph which claims that Bercow was only speaking for one person when he said Trump would not be welcome addressing MPs in Westminster Hall: himself. Instead, Bercow would do well to delve into the history books and remember the actions of speaker William Lenthall who faced down Charles I with the words: ‘I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me.’ Yet instead of listening to his predecessor’s

Isabel Hardman

Government defeats all amendments in first Brexit Bill Committee fight

MPs are finally making their way out of Parliament – or staying for Ed Miliband’s late night adjournment debate – after the first day of Committee Stage of the Article 50 Bill. As explained earlier, the real fireworks are expected tomorrow, and any flashes of drama today came from MPs complaining about the lack of time available for scrutiny. This ended rather noisily in a roaring match between Alex Salmond and Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle over the amount of time allocated to the SNP for speeches in the extended session. Earlier, MPs had chastised Natascha Engel when she was in the Chair for not allowing a number of amendments to

Monday

6 Feb 2017

Tom Goodenough

Tonight’s Brexit debate: What happens and when

Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that Parliament must have its say on Brexit, it seems MPs are determined to make the most of it. After last week’s mammoth debate, today’s session on amendments to the Government’s White Paper will drag on until the early hours of tomorrow morning. It’s expected to finish up at around 1am – keeping Brexit aficionados, as well as MPs from all sides and the Government busy. But what will they be discussing? Here’s the Spectator’s guide to tonight’s Brexit session: After Theresa May’s Commons statement on the European Council meeting, tonight’s Commons session will essentially split into two parts. The first, expected to