Politics

When Margaret Thatcher, who was born hundred years ago today, came to visit my school I was in the midst of my stroppy-leftie phase. To my shame, I remember announcing that all Tories, let alone Thatcher – the notorious kiddies’ milk-snatcher – should be put up against a wall and shot. When Margaret Thatcher, who was born hundred years ago today, came to visit my school I was in the midst of my stroppy-leftie phase ‘That’s not exactly civilised,’ my friend Owen Paterson, who became a Tory MP later in his life, retorted. ‘What makes you think we’re civilised?’ I said. ‘I didn’t say we are,’ said Owen. ‘But we

Bridget Phillipson: ‘We’ve played a key role behind the scenes’ Israel and Hamas have agreed on a ceasefire, and Israeli troops are withdrawing from parts of Gaza, as Hamas prepares to release the remaining hostages on Monday morning. Later that day, Donald Trump and the Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi will chair a peace summit with other leaders, including Keir Starmer. The ceasefire represents a big diplomatic success for President Trump. On Sky News this morning, Trevor Phillips asked Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson what role the UK had played in the negotiations. Phillipson said she recognised ‘the critical role that the American government played’, but suggested the UK was involved

Well, well, well. SNP conference has gotten off to a rather, er, interesting start. As one might expect, the subject of independence has dominated the first day of the big meet-up in Aberdeen. The party’s strategy as laid out by First Minister John Swinney says that an SNP majority at next year’s Holyrood election would be a mandate for a second independence referendum. But party activists aren’t happyabout the state of the SNP: both its independence stance and the way the party has conducted itself more generally over the last few years. Mr S can hardly blame them… The crowd sat up when veteran Graeme McCormack – of ‘flatulence in

For the fourth winter in a row, Vladimir Putin believes now is the time when Ukrainians will finally break. Russia’s campaign of systematic strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure has begun once again with the first cold winds. Last night, Putin unleashed nearly 500 Shahed drones, decoys and missiles against Ukraine, launched simultaneously at different regions from multiple directions, with energy and gas production sites as prime targets. Only 13 missiles and 60 drones made it through. A child was killed and at least 24 people injured across the country. Eight regions, including Kyiv, were left partially without electricity and water. Ukrainians knew that another winter of blackouts was coming.