Politics

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

Wednesday

Ross Clark Ross Clark

Starmer’s winter fuel U-turn is a big mistake

One of Keir Starmer’s first mistakes in office was to remove the winter fuel allowance from all pensioners other than those in receipt of pension credit. His latest big error is performing a U-turn and telling us that the government is, after all, looking at loosening the eligibility criteria, so that many more pensioners will qualify for the money next winter. Starmer’s explanation for his U-turn during Prime Minister’s Questions was bizarre How can both these things be true? Because the former was a political error, the latter an economic one. The optics of removing the winter fuel allowance at a time when millions of public sector workers were receiving

Oscar Edmondson

Winter fuel U-turn and a rift at the heart of government

12 min listen

After sustained speculation and a local elections drubbing, Keir Starmer announced today at PMQs that the government will be softening their policy on winter fuel. Whilst it won’t come into effect for some time, they have agreed to ensure that ‘more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payment.’  This comes hours after a memo was mysteriously leaked to the Telegraph. It contains an extensive list of recommendations from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to the Treasury, including a set of eight tax rises such as reinstating the pensions lifetime allowance and altering dividend taxes. This amounts to a direct challenge to Rachel Reeves’s fiscal approach and preference for spending cuts. The

Steerpike Steerpike

Corbyn changes mind on Lowe’s Lucy Connolly motion

Rupert Lowe may have left Nigel Farage’s Reform party, but he’s certainly keeping himself busy. Now the MP has tabled an early day motion calling for a review of sentencing practices to ensure non-violent social media offenders don’t get locked up – after the wife of a Tory councillor, Lucy Connolly, was imprisoned for posting a heated message about last summer’s riots on social media. In a rare display of cross-party collaboration between the right and left wings of the Commons, ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn startled onlookers by being the first politician to add his name to the motion’s list of signatories. But he withdrew his support just as fast,

Limor Simhony Philpott

More than anything, Israelis want the hostages home

The war in Gaza, now in its 19th month, has reached a tipping point. On Monday, the UK, France, and Canada issued a stark warning to Israel, threatening ‘concrete actions’ if it doesn’t halt its renewed offensive and lift aid restrictions. The EU followed, with top diplomat Kaja Kallas announcing a review of trade agreements with Israel. Hamas gloated predictably, calling the statement ‘an important step’ toward restoring international law – as if the terror group ever cared about any law but Sharia. But this diplomatic pile-on risks emboldening the group and alienating an ally without offering viable solutions. Israel’s war against Hamas is messy, costly, and increasingly unpopular at

Matthew Lynn

David Lammy is wrong to halt trade talks with Israel

In recent weeks, Britain has wrapped up trade deals with India and the United States and is on the lookout for new agreements. Keir Starmer has agreed a ‘re-set’ with the European Union that will make it slightly easier to export goods across the continent. It has been a good few weeks for ‘Global Britain’. There is, however, one country that the Labour government does not want to trade with: Israel. Turning our back on our great ally in the Middle East is a mistake. Israel is a country we could, and should, do a lot of business with. But instead of bringing ‘Global Britain’ to the Jewish State, Foreign Secretary

Steerpike Steerpike

Starmer U-turns on winter fuel cuts

To Prime Minister’s Questions, where Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the Labour lot will in fact reverse parts of the controversial winter fuel payment – just weeks after the reds suffered defeat across the country over the policy in the May elections. Addressing the Chamber, Starmer remarked that ‘we want to ensure that as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payment’ – confirming that the thresholds for the benefit will be looked at in the Budget. How very interesting… Speaking to parliamentarians at noon today, the PM confirmed the policy shift, noting: I recognise that people are still feeling the pressure of the cost of

Gawain Towler

Patrick O’Flynn helped make Brexit possible

Yesterday, the world dimmed a little. Patrick O’Flynn, a man who was both a titan of the Brexit cause and a cherished friend, died. The news hit like a sledgehammer, and as I sit here, with a cup of tea, trying to make sense of it, memories flood. Paddy wasn’t just a figure in the political and journalistic firmament, though of course he was that; he was a force, a believer, a strategist, and, above all, a decent human being. His death leaves a void that no amount of words can fill, but I’ll try to do a little justice to the man whose efforts in no small way changed

Ross Clark Ross Clark

Thank God Angela Rayner isn’t Chancellor

Rachel Reeves may have killed off growth with her raid on employers’ National Insurance contributions, but today comes a reminder that she is nevertheless the relatively mild face of the Starmer government. We can at least be thankful that Angela Rayner is not Chancellor. Labour’s deputy leader has written a memo to Reeves suggesting a number of taxes she would like to see increased, and which she believes – somewhat hopefully – would obviate the need for spending cuts at the next Budget. There are cabinet ministers who are even more hostile to the idea of low taxes than Reeves herself is She wants inheritance tax relief on Alternative Investment

Rod Liddle Rod Liddle

Patrick O’Flynn will be greatly missed

I am hugely saddened by the death of Patrick O’Flynn. He was a man who epitomised decency, kindness, gentlemanly conduct and, above all, a sense of duty. Rest in peace, Paddy. You were the best of men I first met him when he stood for parliament for the Social Democratic party (SDP) in Peterborough in 2019. It was a hugely disappointing campaign for us (as indeed most of them are, but this one particularly). He knew he was fighting a forlorn battle, but threw himself into the campaigning with total commitment and – as ever – graciousness. Not to mention a certain grim gallows humour. That he stood at all

Ross Clark Ross Clark

Rachel Reeves is to blame for the 3.5% inflation spike

There is no positive spin to be put on this morning’s inflation figures, which show the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rising from 2.6 per cent to 3.5 per cent in a single month. If you want to do the trick of stripping out energy and food prices to arrive at so-called ‘core’ inflation (how you can have a cost of living index which excludes two of the biggest costs faced by households defeats me) the picture is even worse – core inflation is even higher, at 4.5 per cent. The grim inflation figures are a sign that you cannot get something for nothing If you want to use the government’s

Eliot Wilson

Can Trump get Britain to up defence spending faster?

When Sir Keir Starmer was elected leader of the Labour party five years ago, it must have been a feat of imagination to picture himself as prime minister. It would surely have gone beyond his strangest fever dreams to think he would be dealing more or less weekly with defence policy. That he would be making spending decisions with an eye to placating President Donald Trump probably would have caused some kind of internal short circuit. Yet here we are. It is five weeks until Nato’s annual summit, held this year in The Hague, the first such gathering since Trump returned to the White House. The President’s last summit was

Steerpike Steerpike

Third man charged over Starmer fires

Back to the case of the fires linked to Sir Keir Starmer. Now a third man has been charged over arson attacks on properties belonging to the Prime Minister. A 34-year-old Ukrainian national, Petro Pochynok, has been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. It comes after two other men were charged in connection with the arson attacks. On Tuesday, 26-year-old Stanislav Carpiuc, a Romanian national, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. Last week 21-year-old Roman Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national living in London, was charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life and appeared at Westminster magistrates’

William Clouston

Remembering Patrick O’Flynn

The unanticipated and deeply sad news of Patrick O’Flynn’s death is a blow to so many – not just to his close family but also to those in the world of politics and journalism and for many throughout the country. Patrick was a fine journalist, a true gentleman and one of the nicest people you would ever meet in public life I first met Patrick in a pub with David Goodhart in 2018 and got to know him well in the following eight years throughout our – sometimes forlorn – efforts to revive the Social Democratic party. As a prominent and influential Eurosceptic political journalist – and Ukip MEP – we were delighted when Patrick joined us. I personally was

Matthew Torbitt

Is it time to let ex-prisoners stand for parliament?

David Gauke, the former Justice Secretary now reviewing sentencing policy for the government, has long been a thoughtful voice in criminal justice. The reforms reportedly under consideration – including smarter punishments for low-level crime and early release for some offenders – suggest a welcome shift: away from the political chest-beating of ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric, and toward outcomes that might actually reduce reoffending. If we are finally starting to accept that punishment must have purpose – that it must lead somewhere – then there’s a broader conversation we urgently need to have. And that’s about who is allowed to take part in shaping the system. This is not about tokenism.

Jonathan Sacerdoti

Israel is prepared to go it alone in Gaza

As Israel presses ahead with Operation Gideon’s Chariots, its most ambitious military campaign in Gaza since the war began, the political landscape surrounding the conflict is shifting – and not in Israel’s favour. Britain’s suspension of trade talks, the summoning of Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, and coordinated statements of condemnation from the UK, France and Canada mark the strongest international censure yet. For many in Jerusalem, this is not only short-sighted but morally confounding. Israel’s operation, launched with the stated aim of eliminating Hamas’s military infrastructure and securing the return of its hostages, comes after months of inconclusive ceasefires, failed negotiations, and mounting frustration. The January truce, welcomed at the

Dalibor Rohac

The EU is being timid with Ukraine

Donald Trump may have pulled the world in a decidedly protectionist direction, but the European Union is not doing its part to lead by example and uphold the ideals of free trade – not even with Ukraine, where the strategic case for free and frictionless trade is overwhelming.  On 6 June, the EU is expected to end the existing tariff-free regime introduced after the Russian invasion, subjecting Ukrainian imports of agricultural commodities to very tight caps, as stipulated by the earlier Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) between the EU and Ukraine. The DCFTA was supposed to be revised by the June deadline, ideally increasing the quotas for tariff-free imports of

Tuesday

Steerpike Steerpike

Farage skips ‘Brexit reset’ debate for French holiday

To the Commons, where just after midday Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a statement on his brand new UK-EU deal. Sir Keir told MPs that the new agreement would ‘strengthen our borders’ and ‘release us from the tired arguments of the past’ on Brexit. But as opposition politicians heckled – ‘tell that to the fishermen!’ one yelled – there was one notable absence in the Chamber. The Brexit kingpin himself, Reform UK’s very own Nigel Farage, was nowhere to be seen. How very strange… One would think that this was a moment Farage would not want to miss – given Starmer’s deal has given rise to accusations that the Labour

Stephen Pollard

Britain is playing into Hamas’s hands

Keir Starmer’s government has suspended trade talks with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador over the ‘intolerable’ offensive in Gaza. To be honest, I’m surprised it’s taken ten months for any doubt to be cleared up. But now it is entirely clear where the government stands vis-à-vis our supposed great ally in the Middle East, Israel, and the Islamist death cult which seeks to wipe Jews – yes, Jews, not Israel – off the face of the earth: it stands with Hamas. Don’t rely on my take, but on the words of Hamas Don’t rely on my take, but on the words of Hamas, who last night issued a statement in response to the

Anthony Boutall

Teachers are turning on Labour

When Labour won the 2024 general election, many of my fellow teachers were delighted. After fourteen years of one Conservative or another occupying Downing Street, they felt that finally ‘the right people’ were in power. Ten months later, their excitement has turned to despair. Promise after promise has evaporated. The jubilant attitude in staff rooms around Britain has been replaced by a kind of exhausted bewilderment as the effects of the government’s economic illiteracy start to bite. Keir Starmer is quickly discovering that governing is not the same as protesting Keir Starmer is quickly discovering that governing is not the same as protesting. Making quick pay deals may have appeased the

Owen Matthews

Why the Trump-Putin dialogue is so dangerous for Ukraine

“Look, are you serious? Are you real about this?” That question, according to US vice president J.D. Vance, was the essence of yesterday’s phone call between his boss Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. What Vance meant was to question whether Putin was serious about peace. But turning the question on its head would actually be far more revealing. Is Putin serious about winning the war? Absolutely. Is he real about fighting on until he achieves his goal of subjugating Ukraine? Also very much yes. Is Trump serious about pressuring Russia into ending the war? There’s a second way to flip the question, and that’s to ask: is Trump serious about pressuring