Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
A taste of what to expect over the next six months came in today’s press conference with Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance. Following reports of plans in government for new national restrictions and a potential lockdown, the pair used their public address to provide an update of the latest
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The government is reportedly considering the short-term reintroduction of nationwide social restrictions to halt the spread of coronavirus. Will a two-week ‘circuit break’ make a difference, or simply delay the inevitable? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
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The government has promised to deliver a nationwide mass testing programme by the beginning of next year, claiming it could offer a route out of continued restrictions. But with mounting reports about the failing test and trace system, is Operation Moonshot impossible? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
As the government tightens coronavirus restrictions across swathes of the north east, Boris Johnson is facing his worst polling on the issue since the crisis began. According to a YouGov poll, approval of government handling of coronavirus is at its lowest: -33, compared to -18 last week. Coffee House understands this broadly tallies with internal government polling. Those
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The government’s Internal Market Bill won’t reach the House of Lords until after the October EU Council, James Forsyth tells Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson on the podcast today. This means that the bill won’t become law anytime soon, and provides the government leverage for a deal in that Council. So was this a ploy
As the government comes under fire over its Brexit tactics, testing capacity and coronavirus guidelines, Boris Johnson was this afternoon summoned before the liaison committee to answer questions on all of the above. Although dialogue remained civil between the PM and the panel – made up of select committee chairs – there were signs that Johnson might prefer to
Boris Johnson faced a new opponent at Prime Minister’s Questions today – Angela Rayner. With Sir Keir Starmer stuck at home waiting for the results of a family member’s coronavirus test (which has since come back as negative), Labour’s deputy took to the despatch box. Her performance led to a notably different approach by Johnson, the PM was
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Amid reports of local testing shortages, Matt Hancock told MPs today that the system is facing an ‘enormous challenge’ after a ‘sharp rise’ in demand. While the government has pledged to deliver 500,000 tests a day by the end of October, just 220,000 are currently being processed. Can the government fix the problem? Katy Balls
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Former attorney general Geoffrey Cox has today warned that the Internal Markets Bill could cause ‘unconscionable’ damage to the UK’s international standing. With a vote on the legislation due later today, could a rebellion overcome the government’s majority? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Is the government facing a looming defeat on the internal market bill? After plans by Boris Johnson and his ministers to override parts of the withdrawal agreement through the legislation came to light last week, there has been a growing backlash among Tory MPs. The decision by Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis to stand up at
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The EU said it could walk away from trade talks after the government announced that it planned to break international law in its Internal Markets Bill. But how will Ireland, one of the countries most affected by the government’s decision, react? Katy Balls speaks to Peter Foster, public policy editor of the Financial Times, Pat
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As England heads into stricter lockdown measures shortly, James Forsyth talks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson about the growing unease amongst backbenchers over the government’s strict Covid response. Is it time for the government to try harder to make a case for its approach?
This evening Boris Johnson used a video call to address Conservative MPs following unease over No. 10’s Brexit tactics. With a Tory backlash growing over the plan to break international law and rewrite parts of the withdrawal agreement relating to the Northern Ireland protocol, the Prime Minister sought to convince MPs of the necessity of
The UK and Japan have this morning agreed a new free trade deal between the two countries. With International Trade Secretary Liz Truss working to secure a number of FTAs for when the Brexit transition period ends, this is the first that goes beyond what the UK had under EU arrangements. Announcing the news, Truss said this marked
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Sarah Sands is the former editor of the Today programme. On the podcast, she talks to Katy Balls about her departure from the Sunday Telegraph after just nine months as Editor; giving John Humphreys a pay cut; and what it was like to find out on election night that the Boris Johnson government intended to
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The EU gave an ultimatum today that, unless the UK shelved its Internal Market Bill within three weeks, it would be taking legal action against the government. With negotiations in a more acrimonious stage than they have been for a long time, are the talks about to break down? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth
Boris Johnson confirmed in his coronavirus press conference yesterday that gatherings will be restricted to a maximum of six people from Monday onwards. This is the legal number allowed to meet (with a few exceptions), and those who fail to comply will face fines or even arrest. In one way, this isn’t that much of a change to what’s allowed
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Boris Johnson held a press conference this afternoon to announce that only groups of six or smaller would be able to meet from Monday. The new restrictions come after a spike in coronavirus cases, and were brought in alongside threats to fine those who break the rules. But is there more to come? John Connolly
As Boris Johnson comes under fire from his own MPs over his potentially unlawful Brexit plans, Keir Starmer has made his first significant Brexit intervention. After keeping relatively quiet on the issue since winning the leadership, the Labour leader has laid out his party’s position on Brexit during an evening broadcast round. Despite previously backing a
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As Michel Barnier arrives in London for another round of trade talks, Brandon Lewis today said that government plans to reinterpret the Brexit withdrawal treaty could break international law. Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about what the No. 10 proposals could mean, and whether Tory backbenchers can stomach the move.