UK Politics

Liz Truss, craving for Vogue and attention.

— When Nicola Sturgeon met Liz Truss at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow last year, the Foreign Secretary didn’t talk to her about climate change. She talked about... Vogue.

OPINION

Hasta la vista, he wants to come back.

— What is the difference between the Terminator and Boris Johnson? One is an inhuman evil destructive force without empathy or compassion. The other is also Prime Minister.

UK Politics

Is race an issue that might explain why Rishi Sunak is doing so badly among Tory members?

— A difficult question for pollsters to investigate: Is race an issue for Rishi Sunak? No one says ‘yes, ethnicity is an issue for me’ when pollsters ask but Conservative party members do show an above-average opposition to diversity drives.

Analysis

Without a fresh new vision, the next Conservative prime minister risks leading their party to election loss.

— Be it Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, the incoming leader – and next prime minister – will inherit a party in deep trouble and in a precarious position that risks losing the next general election.

Brexit

How might Labour’s Brexit policy be made to work?

— Professor Chris Grey’s analysis on how Keir Starmer's timid policy could become less constipated, the implications of his foolish stance on post-election cooperation and the best/worst scenarios that follow.

OPINION

Human rights and Tory wrongs.

— Liz Truss is reportedly far ahead amongst Conservative party members who blame Rishi Sunak for defenestrating Boris Johnson – a view which Johnson himself is keen to foster... to prepare a triumphant return when Tory MPs decide to get rid of an inept Truss.

Analysis

What ethical standards should we hold politicians to?

— Is a “good” politician one who is good at making dirty deals and engages in sleazy behaviour only in their personal life, or is unethical behaviour in personal life likely to translate into bad ethical character in public life?

OPINION

It’s been 12 long, painful years of Tory governments...

— From the start, the Tories chose to reduce public investment and encouraged companies to prioritise profits over investment too. The result: whilst we claim to be a rich country, we now have 14.2 million people in poverty.

OPINION

The Tory chancers trashing the rule of law.

— The British Government has now pretty much abandoned any pretence that the rule of law counts for anything when it is supposed to apply to... the British Government.

Analysis

Boris Johnson is a bit like Churchill – but not in the ways he might want.

— Both Churchill and Johnson had a complicated relationship with the Conservative Party. The only way they compare?

UK Politics

Boris Johnson says his time as UK PM was ‘mission largely accomplished’. How does that actually stack up?

— Boris Johnson is about to leave 10 Downing Street to be replaced by one of two colleagues. His history in the top job is a chequered one.

UK Politics

Truth now banned in government.

— Reactions to reports that Attorney General Suella Braverman has now banned government lawyers from telling her if proposed government actions are illegal.

Fact-Check

If you voted Tory for any of these 16 reasons, you made a big mistake.

— If you ever voted Conservatives, or intend to at the next elections, see what they tell you they are going to do in power and look at what they actually did whilst in government. Why fact-checking is essential before voting.

Analysis

The fall of Boris Johnson: Any democracy should look to his case and ask if it is enabling machiavellian leaders.

— Boris Johnson is not the first world leader to prioritise his own ambitions over meaningful governance. But his fall is a good moment for reflection on how far a democracy is prepared to tolerate, and even reward Machiavellian tendencies.

OPINION

Quick summary of the ERG’s – sorry, your next Prime Minister’s plans for Britain.

— Our next PM, supported by a global network of free-market think tanks, will attempt to turn Britain into a Libertarian-Right dystopia by enacting the insane and cruel policies outlined in a book by Jacob Rees-Mogg’s dad.

Conservative Leadership Contest

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss head-to-head to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister – How their prospects compare.

— As Conservative party members choose between the former chancellor and the foreign secretary, the real question for them now isn’t who would be the better leader but who could win against Labour?