Long-Read

How Brexitism is eating conservatism

— Professor Chris Grey’s Brexit analysis – placing Truss’s ‘essay’ and Sunak’s many woes in the wider context of a ‘Brexitist’ capture of conservatism, and how that could lead to a re-alignment of the political right.

Scottish Politics

Nicola Sturgeon resignation: The unanswered questions for Scotland and the SNP she leaves behind

— What does the future hold for Scottish independence and the SNP after Nicola Sturgeon?

OPINION

The Conservatives are gunning for our human rights

— The Conservatives are threatening our human rights. We need to be prepared to fight back.

Long-Read

Three years of failure

— Professor Chris Grey’s latest Brexit analysis. Three years on, with public support declining, there were no celebrations last week – only lies, excuses, and the usual cries of ‘betrayal’. Nothing new, but as time passes, the failure of the Brexit project is simply inescapable.

OPINION

There’s no delusion like Tory self-delusion

— After 100 days of soul-searching, Liz Truss has decided there is only one person to blame for her woes: everyone else!

What The Experts Say

Cabinet reshuffle: Science experts react

— Science experts comment on the cabinet reshuffle and the creation of four new departments.

Climate Change

How climate change could fare in the UK’s new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

— A departmental redesign is useful, but progress still depends on political will.

Brexit

Politicians weren’t confident discussing Brexit

— We should not only listen to what politicians say but also how they say it.

COMMENT

Sunak-linked hedge fund sees pandemic profits soar to £109m

— Has Rishi Sunak benefitted from Government contracts during the pandemic? A hedge fund, where the Prime Minister was a founding partner, has seen its profits more than double in a year.

Corruption

UK slides in corruption perception index after series of political scandals

— The UK is perceived to be more corrupt than it was following the 2009 expenses scandal that rocked parliament to its core. Hostile states are happy to watch the UK move away from core liberal democratic principles.

Analysis

A ‘stop Brexit’ sticker and suffragette colours: it’s really not clear what can get you kicked out of parliament

— Parliaments are already widely viewed as inaccessible, technocratic institutions that are several steps removed from public concerns and values. A lack of clarity as to what visitors can bring with them will only reinforce these perceptions.

OPINION

Brexit : Three years on, lies, deceit and delusion

— Brexiters don’t have any real Brexit benefits to boast of, so they have to make stuff up.

Long-Read

Untying Brexit’s toxic knots

— Professor Chris Grey’s latest Brexit analysis on David Lammy’s speech that was maybe the first time since Brexit that a major politician challenged its central, flawed assumptions. A small but welcome first step to realism.

COMMENT

Truss, who lost longevity battle to a lettuce, is on a comeback trail through Washington, DC

— During her trip to America, Liz Truss was happy to be cheered by some Republicans who want Trussonomics-style uber-neo-liberalism.

OPINION

Holyrood’s death by a thousand Tory cuts

— In a recent interview with the News Agents podcast, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that she is no longer 100% certain that the Conservatives would not attempt to abolish the Scottish Parliament

Investigation

REVEALED: Dominic Raab did use WhatsApp for official business, but Government didn’t retain a copy of his messages

— For 17 months, the FCDO refused to answer our questions regarding Dominic Raab’s WhatsApp use. But, following an intervention from the ICO, they’ve finally come clean.