Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
After reports emerged on Monday suggesting that Boris Johnson plans to use new legislation to override key parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement relating to the Northern Ireland protocol, government ministers sought to play down the changes. Environment Secretary George Eustice suggested that any changes to be laid out in the internal market bill were aimed at simply
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Boris Johnson last night issued a warning to the European Union that Brexit negotiations must be concluded by October 15 or Britain will walk away. Will this focus minds, or might it spell the end for the talks? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about the government’s hardline approach.
After months of coronavirus leading the news agenda, Brexit is back. The Prime Minister has overnight promised to quit the trade talks in five weeks if no agreement is in place. Meanwhile, figures in Brussels are voicing disbelief at reports the UK government is drawing up legislation that will override the withdrawal agreement’s Northern Ireland protocol.
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The deadline for a Brexit deal is fast approaching, but the level of subsidies paid to companies and industries could prove a stumbling block. Will state aid – which makes up just 0.34 per cent of the UK’s GDP – scupper an agreement with the EU? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
When Boris Johnson addressed MPs on Wednesday, the hope in government was that the Prime Minister’s multiple appearances would rally the troops. First at PMQs, then before the 2019 intake, before addressing the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers. With MPs returning from the summer holidays fed up after a string of policy U-turns and constituent complaints, many
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Rishi Sunak has faced a backlash this week over proposals to increase taxes to pay for the UK’s coronavirus response. Can the chancellor push the changes through, and how will the party react? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
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Governments around the world have adopted extraordinary powers to deal with coronavirus – but could they end up doing more damage than good? (01:00) Next, is the best way to deal with the threat of Scottish secession to negotiate a hypothetical Scottish exit deal? (16:04) And finally, are Britain’s graveyards suffering a spate of indecent
14 min listen
Matt Hancock today announced Operation Moonshot, a £500 million scheme to ramp up the UK’s testing capacity and offer a return to normality without social distancing. Does it really offer a way out? John Connolly speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
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Bolton and Trafford were returned to Manchester’s local lockdown this morning after yet another U-turn by the government. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer went head to head for their first PMQs of the new parliamentary term. Finally, Rishi Sunak and the PM met members of the 2019 Tory intake in an attempt to shore
Another day, another story mooting a new tax rise. Today the Sun reports the Chancellor is considering a rise in National Insurance contributions for the self-employed. Like other tax rises floated in recent days – from fuel duty to corporation tax to capital gains tax – it has quickly met opposition from members of the Tory party
Is Boris Johnson’s government jumping from one crisis to the next or is No. 10’s agenda progressing roughly as planned? It depends who you ask. After a difficult few weeks, there are plenty of Tory MPs who believe it’s the former. Many of whom don’t even feel the need to keep their grievances anonymous. Charles Walker MP recently
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Simon Case has been appointed the new cabinet secretary, tasked with leading the UK through its coronavirus recovery and reforming the civil service. Is he up to the job? Gus Carter speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the country’s most powerful official.
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Following the exam results fiasco, the Tories’ lead in the polls has dropped to just two points in the latest YouGov survey. With Labour on the up, what is Keir Starmer doing right, and should we expect further gains? Cindy Yu speaks to the Spectator’s deputy political editor Katy Balls and Stephen Bush, political editor at
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UK debt has hit £2 trillion, the Office for National Statistics said today – an increase of over £200 billion on last year. What does this mean for the economy, how does the UK compare to the rest of Europe, and does Boris Johnson plan to keep on spending? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson
Despite Boris Johnson’s call for Brexit negotiations to speed up, the seventh round of talks has today ended with little progress. Neither side is bothering to suggest the latest round was particularly productive. Instead, the comments today from Michel Barnier and the UK’s lead negotiator David Frost were focussed on attributing blame for the current deadlock. Barnier said
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Birmingham and Oldham are on the brink of reentering lockdown, with cases in both rising significantly in comparison to the rest of the country. But how severe is the outbreak, and can the government risk shutting down the UK’s second largest city? Cindy Yu speaks to Kate Andrews and Katy Balls about the contenders for
When Boris Johnson tried to call a general election in September last year, everyone around him assumed that Jeremy Corbyn would agree. When this didn’t happen, Johnson found himself out of ideas. Dominic Cummings’s plan was to keep calling for an election, keep holding votes and hope the resolve among opposition parties would break. The
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A new poll today shows that support for Scottish independence is at a record high of 55 per cent. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson about why – in particular, how does Nicola Sturgeon continue to exceed Westminster’s expectations?
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Matt Hancock today confirmed that Public Health England will be scrapped and replaced by a new National Institute for Health Protection, which will be led by Baroness Dido Harding – who currently runs the Test and Trace scheme. John Connolly speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about why.
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Gavin Williamson announced this afternoon that pupils receiving A-level and GCSE results this year would be awarded teacher-predicted marks. Why has the government finally changed its mind, and will Gavin Williamson stay in the Cabinet? Cindy Yu speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
