Leavers only, please Sir: Your leading article (‘The end of May’, 25 May) correctly calls for the Conservative party to establish itself as ‘unequivocally the party of Brexit’. The meltdown at the EU elections confirmed this is now the only course of action open to it, if it wishes to survive. Conservative MPs should show
Tears for fears Theresa May welled up while announcing her resignation in Downing Street. How often do leaders cry? — Lady Thatcher was seen to have tears in her eyes while being driven away from Downing Street for the last time. — Tony Blair nearly broke down in public, but not while in office —
The day after Britain voted to leave the European Union, Donald Trump arrived by helicopter at Turnberry, his golf course in Scotland. The financial markets were in crisis and David Cameron had resigned in a panic. The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, said that Britain had ‘collapsed: politically, monetarily, constitutionally and economically’. The then candidate
Home The Brexit party, led by Nigel Farage, received 5,248,533 votes (out of 17,199,701 cast) in the European parliament elections, securing 29 seats — more than twice the seats won by the Conservatives (in fifth place, down from 19 seats in 2014 to four now) and Labour (down from 20 seats to ten) put together.
The unclued lights (with the pair at 37/26) are orchestral CONDUCTORS. First prize Elisabeth Johnson, Toronto, Canada Runners-up Gareth Davies, Langstone, Newport; Peter Gregson, Amersham, Bucks
The Tory leadership has two stages: MPs will choose two finalists from what might be more than a dozen candidates, a process that should take about ten days. Then the final two will embark on a five-week campaign to win over the 125,000 Conservative Party members. If Boris Johnson makes it into the second stage, it
Nigel’s nakedness Sir: Rod Liddle is right to be wary of the hubris that Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, is beginning to show (‘The Brexit party delusion’, 18 May). His wish to smash the mould of British politics clearly shows that he expects his disciples to follow him into the promised land. The Andrew
This week’s European election was always going to be pointless, at least from a British perspective. It is possible that the elected candidates will never even take up their seats. In one important sense, however, the election campaign has been useful: as a reminder of where public opinion stands on Brexit. A few weeks ago,
Home The country went to the polls to elect Members of the European Parliament and express its loathing for the two main political parties. On the eve of polling, Theresa May, the Prime Minister, appealed for MPs’ support for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to be introduced shortly, saying that it would contain a provision for
Milkshakes and other missiles What can the man who threw a milkshake over Nigel Farage in Newcastle expect as a punishment, from past precedent? — Tony Blair was struck by a tomato in Bristol in 2001. His attacker was given a two-year conditional discharge. — In the same year, John Prescott had an egg thrown
The group is ‘Les Nabis’ (anagram of ALBINESS (18)). Its members were VALLOTTON, DENIS, ROUSSEL, RANSON, SÉRUSIER, BONNARD and VUILLARD. The seminal work was THE TALISMAN (appearing diagonally from row thirteen). THE TALISMAN was to be shaded. First prize Peter Tanner, Hertford Runners-up Michael Knox, Beaconsfield, Bucks; Bill Stewart, Leicester
Theresa May’s latest Brexit bill is set to come back to the Commons early next month, but already the signs are that it won’t be fourth time lucky for the Prime Minister and her Withdrawal Agreement. Here is the full list of 74 Tory MPs who say they will vote it down: Adam Afriyie Lucy
Royal name games Will more children be called Archie following the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son? How have other names fared after being picked by royalty? — George was the 6th most popular boy’s name in 2012, the year before Prince George was born. In 2014 it fell to 18th. — Charlotte
Labour’s fence-sitting Sir: James Forsyth writes that Mrs May and Mr Corbyn are ‘not, in fact, that far apart’ (‘May’s compromising position’, 11 May). To many, the Labour left is simply playing its very old game of sitting on the fence over the EU. The electorate have spotted it, and Labour paid for it in
Home Theresa May, the Prime Minister, said that the EU withdrawal bill would be introduced in the Commons in the first week of June (just when President Donald Trump of the United States is making his state visit). If parliament did not vote for it, Britain would leave without an agreement, or its notice to
This week the Institute for Fiscal Studies announced a five-year study into inequality in Britain, to be led by the economist Sir Angus Deaton, a Scottish academic who recently won the Nobel prize for economics. It is to be welcomed, because it will widen the scope of a debate that has been too narrow for
DEVILS at 33D (its ‘essence’ is ‘EVIL’) is linked with ‘Malevolence’ (13) and ‘Roguish’ (19) and Devil’s CANDLESTICK (1), ON HORSEBACK (3), LIVERY (7), DOOR (14), SHOESTRINGS (17), ELBOW (27), APPLES (29) and ISLAND (32). First prize F.A. Scott, Enfield, Middlesex Runners-up John Cruickshank, Aberdeen; Jenny Atkinson, Little Chalfont, Bucks