All the latest analysis of the day's news and stories
For those people already bored with the interminable European question, Radio 4 might get unbearable over the next few months. Yesterday morning the subject was being discussed, in the context of David Cameron’s ‘deal’, and someone from Brussels was explaining that ‘more Europe’ was needed to solve the migrant/refugee crisis. She never got to explain
David Cameron has delivered his statement to the Commons on the draft EU reform package. The PM said it was an ‘important milestone’ and again talked up the agreement – despite the furious backlash in the newspapers today. Have a listen to the opening lines of his statement here: After ignoring the issue during PMQs,
David Cameron’s focus today is on his statement to the Commons about his EU deal, and so was much of PMQs. John Mann opened the session by asking dramatically ‘Is that it?’ and criticising the Prime Minister’s deal, forcing him to defend it immediately. Angus Robertson used his questions to complain about the expected date
In 2000, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, accused Magdalen College, Oxford, of class bias in failing to admit a student called Laura Spence, a pupil at a Tyneside comprehensive. This was grossly unfair — how could the Chancellor know the details of a particular case? It was also outrageous in principle: why
David Cameron has done his best to talk up his draft package of reforms with the EU. He said yesterday: ‘If I could get these terms for Britain, I sure would opt in’. But how have the papers reacted to the proposed agreement? The bad news for the Prime Minister is that many front pages
As the oldest living peer in the Lords at the grand age of 100, Baron Hutchinson of Lullington has a name that commands respect. While the QC stood as the Labour candidate in the constituency of Westminster Abbey in 1945 during which he canvassed 10 Downing Street, Jeremy Hutchinson is known for his illustrious career as a criminal barrister
The first week of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership in September was reminiscent of a The Thick of It omnishambles. The Labour leader pulled out of scheduled media appearances, ran away from camera crews, was falsely accused of stealing sandwiches from war veterans and suffered the misfortune of having hacks eavesdrop his shadow cabinet deliberations. Four months on and — although
Theresa May’s decision to say that the draft settlement for Britain’s relationship with the EU forms ‘a basis for a deal’ has made David Cameron’s rather difficult day – which has involved the Prime Minister trying to insist that he has got the deal he was after, even though his demands on benefits in particular
The ‘red card’ on proposed EU legislation has been hailed by David Cameron as a breakthrough; the ‘Stronger In’ campaign have put it at the top of their list of renegotiation successes. But it already pretty much exists. The very similar ‘orange card’ was introduced by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. (The European Commission’s website explains how it works.) Here’s a
Haven’t had a chance to follow the day’s political events and interviews? Then don’t worry: here, The Spectator, brings you the best of today’s audio clips in one place for you to listen to. David Cameron gave his reaction following the publication of Donald Tusk’s proposals for Britain’s renegotiation with the EU. Speaking to a
Those of you who live in the rest of the UK will have no idea what a relief it is for us Scots to have some real politics to deal with at last. Scottish Labour’s announcement today that it wants to raise income tax for everybody in Scotland is terrific – simply because it means that this
In 1962 I made the leap of a lifetime – from a severely cash-limited working-class household in Hackney (my father had been a packer in a Whitechapel warehouse) to Oxford University. No obstacles were put in my way. Educated at an LCC secondary school, I spent a week at Lincoln College, taking exams for admission to
From his speech and question session on today’s draft EU deal, it’s clear that David Cameron plans to spend the next two weeks promoting his negotiation success, rather than focusing on improving it. He naturally needs to persuade voters – and his colleagues – that this is a good deal that will make a big difference
With David Cameron in Chippenham, it was left to the Europe Minister David Lidington to respond to Jeremy Corbyn’s urgent question. Cameron’s absence was poor form. Lidington manfully tried to claim that it was explained by the fact the government didn’t know when Tusk would publish the draft, but the media were only alerted that
Last week Kezia Dugdale, the leader of the Scottish Labour party, ventured south to the Imperial capital to brief the shadow cabinet on her party’s prospects in the forthcoming elections to the Scottish Parliament. Lucky her. According to the New Statesman’s George Eaton, Dugdale’s presentation was greeted with great enthusiasm. It was, one member of the shadow cabinet
For the last three years, David Cameron has held out the prospect of voting ‘no’ in the referendum if he could not get the deal he wanted. Today he has – unsurprisingly – claimed victory. Yes, he says, there’s more to do on the draft deal – but it not too much because what he’s
David Cameron is insisting that there is more work that needs to be done on the draft deal for Britain’s relationship with Europe published by Donald Tusk today. But here are the key points about that draft deal so far: 1. Cameron has got a weaker benefits deal. As explained here, the Prime Minister has not
The following document has been released by the European Commission: The Heads of State or Government of the 28 EU Member States meeting within the European Council, whose Governments are signatories of the Treaties on which the EU is founded, DESIRING to settle, in conformity with the Treaties, certain issues raised by the United Kingdom in its letter of
Donald Tusk’s draft proposals for Britain’s EU renegotiation are out – and the focus is on whether David Cameron has got what he was after on benefits. The settlement includes the ‘emergency brake’ on in-work benefits for migrants, which would allow Cameron to ‘limit the access’ to benefits for four years. But this limit is
To Simpson’s-in-the-Strand for the annual Oldie of the Year awards. This year a panel including Gyles Brandeth, Libby Purves, John Lloyd, Craig Brown, Roger Lewis, James Pembroke and the magazine’s editor Alexander Chancellor were responsible for awarding the gongs. Perhaps the most controversial choice for an award was Germaine Greer. The ardent feminist made headlines last
What now for Hillary Clinton? The rumour in Washington last week was that, given her weak position in New Hampshire and the never-ending saga of her emails, if she lost in Iowa, Vice-President Joe Biden would enter the race and spare the blushes of the Democratic establishment. Well, Hillary didn’t lose. But she didn’t win either. She
It’s been a testing few weeks for Oxford University officials. First they faced a student uprising with the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ campaign, then the Prime Minister took a pop at the academic establishment for a lack of diversity, claiming they are ‘not doing enough to attract talent from across our country’. Happily, one college is doing
Downing Street is doing its best to spin national parliament’s right to use a ‘red card’ against EU laws – apparently won as part of the PM’s renegotiation with Donald Tusk – as a victory. But others are less impressed. David Cameron’s old friend Boris Johnson has been on LBC this morning talking about the
Copenhagen Denmark has had a difficult few weeks. While it’s used to grabbing the headlines for being the happiest country in the world or having an enviable work-life balance, lately the country has been hit by a torrent of criticism. Thanks to its tougher immigration laws, politicians have even had to deal with Nazi Germany
The Eurosceptic campaign – already divided between two camps – seems to have got itself into another tangle over the right to use a ‘red card’ to block EU legislation. Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliott has dismissed the proposal, which will allow Britain to kick start a process to block EU laws if 55
Today at 11am we will find out what Britain’s new relationship with the EU will look like. Downing Street insists that the draft renegotiation outline being published by European Council president Donald Tusk is still a draft, and there may well be changes to it (though presumably not all of them beneficial to Britain) in
Donald Trump has suffered a serious setback in his bid to win the Republican nomination after finishing second in Iowa. Happily, the savvy billionaire businessman has wasted no time in coming up with a backup plan should his presidential dreams go down the pan. Speaking after conceding defeat to Ted Cruz in the first caucus, Trump
The experts knew all along: Donald Trump was never going to win. You can’t trust those caucus and primary polls. Calm down, everybody. The great winner is actually a loser. He couldn’t even beat someone as unattractive as Ted Cruz. If only things were that simple. The truth is that Trump, with no serious ‘ground game’ to
When Robert Peston was at the BBC, his bosses were left unimpressed when his floppy hair became the story during a live News at Ten broadcast from windy Athens. After filming Peston received an email from a BBC executive telling him that a haircut was ‘imperative’. Happily Peston’s new bosses at ITV appear to be more accepting of his
This is the analysis of the latest EU referendum negotiations in tonight’s Evening Blend email, a free round-up of the day’s political events. Click here to subscribe. Today in brief The EU renegotiation entered its endgame, with European Council president Donald Tusk saying he will publish proposals for a draft deal tomorrow at noon… …as
Haven’t had a chance to follow the day’s political events and interviews? Then don’t worry: here, The Spectator, brings you the best of today’s audio clips in one place for you to listen to. Releasing a report into the Kids Company fiasco, Bernard Jenkin accused other select committees of ‘putting people up against the wall
Tory MPs have been buzzing today about Mark Pritchard’s announcement that he would be supporting the campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union. The well-known eurosceptic MP wrote a significant piece for the Sunday Times yesterday setting out his reasons for becoming a reluctant Inner, which include the risk of weakening Nato, and
Marco Rubio wins tonight in Iowa — by coming third. That, I suspect, will be the on dit among the commentariat this evening in America. And it might not be wrong. According to the latest polls, Rubio is the only candidate to have gained momentum in the run up to today’s caucuses. If the polls aren’t off —
In the past week, David Cameron has held a number of last-minute talks with EU counterparts in the hope of agreeing a deal that can be put to EU leaders ahead of a summit on 18 February. This included a visit to Brussels on Friday to hold renegotiation talks with EP president Martin Schulz. Alas a flag