All the latest analysis of the day's news and stories
Should I help the Guardian to make money? The question arises because the paper’s emissaries have been badgering me to agree to appear on their platform later this month. In itself this is a strange thing. I’m all for ecumenicalism, but the Guardian would seem to be the worst possible platform. My own experience of
The Speaker continues to use PMQs as a sort of rolling news platform where his millions of fans can catch up on all his latest activities. As a devoted Berc-oholic, I was delighted to learn this afternoon that my hero has made a new friend. Two friends in fact. He delivered the announcement early in
Today’s PMQs could have been very tricky for Theresa May. Jeremy Corbyn had an array of targets to choose from. He could have pressed for Brexit detail ahead of Chequers, mocking the Cabinet divisions on the topic. He could have gone on the National Audit Office excoriating Esther McVey over her claims on Universal Credit.
Theresa May has promised repeatedly that ‘Brexit means Brexit’ but it seems she is still confused about what exactly Britain’s departure from the EU involves. In PMQs today, May said: ‘As we leave the UK…as we leave the EU…’ This mixup is unlikely to inspire confidence ahead of this week’s crunch Chequer’s summit. Perhaps it’s time for
At Chequers over the next couple of days Theresa May, along with her chief Brexit-sceptic ministers Philip Hammond and Greg Clark, will attempt to convince others to agree to a soft Brexit. The latest thinking, according to reports today, is that the UK would more or less remain in the single market for goods but
You might not have noticed that yesterday the Government announced possible changes to the Gender Recognition Act. That’s what ministers wanted: the announcement was carefully made late in the day and was partly obscured by an earlier promise to ban “conversion therapy” that tries to stop gay people being gay. Why did the Government bury
Paul Mason wasn’t the only England fan celebrating last night’s World Cup win over Colombia but he is perhaps one of the more surprising. The journalist-turned-left-wing-revolutionary was pictured with St George’s crosses emblazoned on both cheeks taking to the streets of south London. But Mr S. was somewhat surprised to see Mason’s apparent change of heart.
Good news for people who love bad news. Jared O’Mara, a former member of the Labour Women and Equalities select committee, has been reinstated as a Labour MP. He had the whip removed in October over a series of online posts and claims he verbally abused a woman – from his time before becoming an
If you’re going abroad for your summer holidays, you want to make sure that your credit card gives you the best exchange rates, as well as the smallest possible withdrawal fees. Here are some of the best cards on the market at the moment, from data supplied by moneyfacts.co.uk.
This is one of the more important notes I’ve written recently, because it contains what well-placed sources tell me are the main elements of the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan – which will be put to her cabinet for approval on Friday. I would characterise the kernel of what she wants as the softest possible Brexit,
Tonight England faces Colombia in a crunch World Cup match that could see Harry Kane’s team put on the path to success – or cruelly eliminated from the tournament. So, to get viewers in the mood, Mr S thought it was time to announce the winners of Steerpike’s Brexit football chant competition. After sifting through the
England’s crunch World Cup game against Colombia is only a few hours away now and the whole country is getting excited. Over at the Guardian, however, the big game is a perfect opportunity to take a pop at Brexit voters. According to a piece on the paper’s website, ‘If this England team represents anyone, it’s
It’s safe to say that Gavin Williamson has had a difficult few weeks. After the Mail on Sunday splashed on the Defence Secretary’s supposed threat to bring down Theresa May over a funding row, Williamson has been on the receiving end from his colleagues. So, is Williamson close to handing over the reins to someone
How is Theresa May’s big £20bn funding pledge landing with the public? That’s the question Tory MPs are beginning to ask. The Prime Minister’s – currently unfunded – early birthday present for the NHS to celebrate its 70th birthday was announced to much fanfare last month. It was meant as an agenda setting policy that
The big Brexit crunch meeting at Chequers isn’t until Friday but already Tory civil war is breaking out into the open. The divisions in the Conservative party on Brexit had previously been confined to a couple of spats on Twitter. Not any longer if today’s Daily Politics bust-up between Ed Vaizey and Owen Paterson is anything to
As the Cabinet’s Brexit crunch meeting draws closer, there’s heightened speculation that it’s Olly Robbins – the Prime Minister’s Europe Adviser and former DexEU Permanent Secretary – who is calling the shots rather than Brexit Secretary David Davis. On Monday, Davis met with Theresa May but it’s not clear he was even updated on the
In the first of a series of very special offers, our drinks editor Jonathan Ray here describes our recent Spectator Winemaker Lunch with Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russel, as we offer a small parcel of very keenly-priced 2017 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, arguably the finest in all South Africa. It was a very
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s path to the presidency has earned him no shortage of enemies. His succession alienated many within his Zanu PF party, not least the Mugabe stalwarts who had stood by their man for 37 years. As if that was not enough, Zimbabwe’s president is also facing competition from his former colleagues and subordinates in the
As is often the case, the foreign secretary tonight summed up the PM’s worst nightmare, when tweeting that surely everyone can agree that Jacob Rees-Mogg is a principled MP who only “wants the best for our country”. Note well that he didn’t say his fellow Brexit purist only wants the best for his party. And
Has Theresa May finally cracked the customs arrangements problem? The Prime Minister needs to get sign-off from her Cabinet on Britain’s future relationship with Europe at this week’s Chequers summit, and it was briefed overnight that there was now a third option on the table, separate to the customs partnership or the maximum facilitation plan.
The government’s cash boost for the NHS isn’t going to solve its problems. That’s the verdict of pretty much every independent spending scrutiniser, including the National Audit Office’s Comptroller, Amyas Morse. He’s said today that the £20bn founding increase announced by Theresa May and Jeremy Hunt will maintain current standards, but won’t enable the health
Theresa May’s appearance in the Commons today debuted some new language but didn’t tell us much about what she’ll set out to the Cabinet on Friday. May repeated that membership of the European Economic Area would not respect the result of the referendum. Now, she has said this several times before but her comment will
Oh dear. Esther McVey has rather a lot on her plate right now with the faltering universal credit roll out. Today, however, her problems became physical while answering work and pensions questions in the Chamber. Only it wasn’t the Opposition causing the issue. Junior minister Kit Malthouse lost his balance as he stepped away from
The news that Eddie Mair is departing the BBC for LBC has been met with disappointment by his former comrades. However, Mr S suspects that there is one man who will today be breathing a sigh of relief. Step forward Boris Johnson. It’s no secret that the foreign secretary has a frosty relationship with the
Here is a letter which I sent today to the Russian Embassy. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. To: His Excellency Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko Dear Mr Yakovenko, I hope you are well. As you are aware, the World Cup is in progress and both of our sides are doing unexpectedly well in what has
According to weekend reports there are now 20 Tory MPs preparing leadership bids should Theresa May fall. However, one minister tells Coffee House that’s not right – it’s actually more like 40. So, with ambitious politicians plotting their next move, who is the frontrunner? Mr S was curious to note that Sajid Javid – the
Remember when, as a child, you were astonished to discover that not only did your teacher not retreat to the resources cupboard to charge overnight, but that they had a life outside work and even a family? Some adults still seem not to have grasped this about MPs. Last night, Labour MP Luciana Berger posted
When Barack Obama warned Brits on a visit to the UK ahead of the EU referendum that a vote for Leave would see Britain put to the ‘back of the queue’, on trade deals there was much anger – and also bemusement. As Brexiteers were quick to point out, Americans rarely use the word ‘queue’ –
Jean-Marie Le Pen turned 90 last month and to celebrate he threw a party on Saturday for 350 guests. His three daughters were present, including Marine, whose attendance signalled the end of two years of hostility. The pair fell out when she expelled him from the National Front for repeating his belief that the Holocaust was “a
England’s Raheem Sterling has underwhelmed so far at the World Cup. Off the pitch, however, he is winning new fans. The Manchester City winger’s essay blog, ‘It was all a dream’, tells the story of his father’s murder and his mother’s subsequent struggles to make ends meet. It’s brilliantly written, tugs at the heart strings
Simon Stevens: the NHS is making ‘significant preparations’ for no deal Brexit This morning Andrew Marr sat down for an interview with the Chief Executive of NHS England. With the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS approaching this week, Marr asked Simon Stevens about the implications of a no deal Brexit on the
‘It’s not just backbench Conservative MPs who expect ministers to pull together behind May: the great swathe of the electorate which either voted Leave, or voted Remain but recognises that a united team will achieve a better trading relationship for the future than a divided one, expects it too.’ This is the warning Graham Brady
The latest challenge was to compose double dactyls about double acts. I didn’t include the rules about double dactyls this time round as they are rather long-winded and I’ve done it before — and in any case they are easily Googled. Most of you seemed thoroughly at home with the form, and in a large,
We have reached peak summer, literally. And the weather is probably the Brexiteers’ best argument, since it would be madness to go abroad. This is the great week of summer parties in London, including the US Embassy and the FT. Last week was the V&A summer party, described to its director Tristram Hunt by one disbelieving
