Menu
Wed, 8 May 2024

Newsletter sign-up

Subscribe now
Search

Follow us:

Featured
'High Energy' Rishi Sunak Prepares Pep Talks For Gloomy Tory MPs
"High Energy" Rishi Sunak Prepares Pep Talks For Gloomy Tory MPs
Political parties
Rishi Sunak will launch his latest bid to lift the spirits of despondent Conservative MPs this week after a dispiriting set of local elections left them with only one Tory mayor and around half the council seats they started with.
By-Election Winner Faced 'Complete Step Change' On Becoming An MP
Political parties
By-Election Winner Faced "Complete Step Change" On Becoming An MP
Labour’s Richard Parker Wins West Midlands Mayor Race Ousting Tory Andy Street
Political parties
Labour’s Richard Parker Wins West Midlands Mayor Race Ousting Tory Andy Street
Tories Suffer Tough Local Elections As Labour Cleans Up In Mayorals
Political parties
Tories Suffer Tough Local Elections As Labour Cleans Up In Mayorals
Sadiq Khan Re-Elected London Mayor For Historic Third Term
Political parties
Sadiq Khan Re-Elected London Mayor For Historic Third Term
Rebel Plot To Oust Rishi Sunak Fizzles Out Despite Ominous Local Election Results
Political parties
Rebel Plot To Oust Rishi Sunak Fizzles Out Despite Ominous Local Election Results
Smaller Parties' Locals Success Hints At Challenges To Come For Labour And Tories
Political parties
Smaller Parties' Locals Success Hints At Challenges To Come For Labour And Tories
The House Live
The Labour left under Keir Starmer: 'They're not just sealing the tomb but incinerating it'
Political parties
By Sienna Rodgers
The Labour left under Keir Starmer: 'They're not just sealing the tomb but incinerating it'
Many of Labour’s rail plans build on the Government’s commitment to rail reform, providing certainty for long-term rail restructure in the years ahead Partner content
Political parties
By Railway Industry Association
Many of Labour’s rail plans build on the Government’s commitment to rail reform, providing certainty for long-term rail restructure in the years ahead
Indian election: How will the Conservatives and Labour handle another Modi triumph?
Foreign affairs
By Sophie Church
Indian election: How will the Conservatives and Labour handle another Modi triumph?
Most read
The Labour left under Keir Starmer: 'They're not just sealing the tomb but incinerating it'
The Labour left under Keir Starmer: 'They're not just sealing the tomb but incinerating it'
By Sienna Rodgers
Political parties
By-Election Winner Faced 'Complete Step Change' On Becoming An MP
By-Election Winner Faced "Complete Step Change" On Becoming An MP
Political parties
Dale Vince: 'I’ve spent 30 years in renewable energy. I understand the wind and the sun'
Dale Vince: 'I’ve spent 30 years in renewable energy. I understand the wind and the sun'
By Sophie Church
Energy
Editor's choiceAll
The Labour left under Keir Starmer: 'They're not just sealing the tomb but incinerating it'
Political parties
By Sienna Rodgers
The Labour left under Keir Starmer: 'They're not just sealing the tomb but incinerating it'
The Labour left’s power has collapsed since Keir Starmer took over as leader. Could it still pose a factional threat to the leadership? Sienna Rodgers reports
All The MPs Standing Down At The Next General Election
Political parties
All The MPs Standing Down At The Next General Election
With the next general election expected this year, more than 100 MPs have already chosen to not stand again for their seats – the majority of whom are Conservatives.
Tory Hopes Are Hanging On The West Midlands Mayoral Race
Political parties
Tory Hopes Are Hanging On The West Midlands Mayoral Race
Conservative nerves are on a knife-edge ahead of the local elections this week, and those still hoping their party might have a fighting chance of avoiding obliteration at the next general election will be paying particularly close attention to the West Midlands.
Political Parties news
Abuse of councillors is growing – they shouldn't have to publish their home addresses
Political parties
By Marianne Overton
Abuse of councillors is growing – they shouldn't have to publish their home addresses
Being a councillor is one of the most unique and rewarding roles you can have.
Senior Tory Advisers Are 'Jumping Before They Are Pushed'
Political parties
Senior Tory Advisers Are "Jumping Before They Are Pushed"
A double whammy departure of two senior Tory advisers is the latest reason for the growing sense of general election fatalism within Conservative party ranks.
Growth Of Smaller Parties Could Encourage Rethink Of Parliament Rules
Political parties
Growth Of Smaller Parties Could Encourage Rethink Of Parliament Rules
The growth in the number and influence of smaller parties across the UK could encourage officials to look again at the rules which govern parties’ influence in the Commons, a parliamentary expert has said.
Veteran Tory Fears A 'Desert Period' Awaits The Conservatives Post-Election
Political parties
Veteran Tory Fears A "Desert Period" Awaits The Conservatives Post-Election
Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who plans to stand down at the next election after 27 years in the Commons, predicts his party is about to enter a “desert period" if Labour enters government with as big a majority as expected.
The winner of the next election must deal with the costs of botched and delayed projects
Education
By Meg Hillier MP
The winner of the next election must deal with the costs of botched and delayed projects
For the past twelve years I have questioned senior civil servants directly accountable to Parliament for spending taxpayers’ money. Much of that time has been examining projects gone awry and vast sums of taxpayers’ money wasted.
Conservative MP Campaigning To Be Mayor Is Distancing Himself From Tarnished Tory Image
Communities
Conservative MP Campaigning To Be Mayor Is Distancing Himself From Tarnished Tory Image
Tory MP Ben Bradley, who is also the Conservative candidate for the East Midlands mayoralty, has said he is trying to separate his own campaign from the image of his party, as there is "clearly not a brilliant national picture".
Tory MPs Want 'Security' To Dominate Their General Election Campaign
Defence
Tory MPs Want "Security" To Dominate Their General Election Campaign
A growing number of Conservative MPs want Downing Street strategists to put "security", including a major pledge to boost defence spending, at the centre of the Tory party's general election campaign.
Why a Labour government may champion citizens' assemblies
Political parties
By Sienna Rodgers and Sophie Church
Why a Labour government may champion citizens' assemblies
With Keir Starmer’s right-hand woman Sue Gray causing a stir with her public support of citizens’ assemblies, Sophie Church and Sienna Rodgers explore why a Labour government might champion deliberative democracy
Dozens Of Tory MPs Oppose Smoking Ban As It Clears First Commons Hurdle
Health
Dozens Of Tory MPs Oppose Smoking Ban As It Clears First Commons Hurdle
Rishi Sunak's plan to ban smoking has cleared its first House of Commons hurdle, but not without around half of Conservative MPs failing to vote for it.
Downing Street Braced For Smoking Ban Snub From Dozens Of Tory MPs
Health
Downing Street Braced For Smoking Ban Snub From Dozens Of Tory MPs
Government is braced for potentially dozens of Conservative MPs to refuse to back Rishi Sunak's smoking ban when the legislation is put to a House of Commons for the first time on Tuesday.
Liz Truss Doubts Slowing Down Would Have Saved Her From 'Establishment Forces'
Political parties
Liz Truss Doubts Slowing Down Would Have Saved Her From "Establishment Forces"
Former prime minister Liz Truss has been left wondering whether she should have bothered enacting her radical economic reforms, because she believes that even if she had taken more time over it, the "fundamental forces" of the establishment would have found a way of derailing her.

Lords Diary: Lord Bishop of Leeds
Political parties
By Bishop of Leeds
Lords Diary: Lord Bishop of Leeds
A time of reflection on language, integrity – and joy
Vaughan Gething Hints Wales Wants Cash Boost Under Labour Government
Economy
Vaughan Gething Hints Wales Wants Cash Boost Under Labour Government
First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething has said that the biggest challenge he expects to face as the Labour leader of the devolved government will be how to increase the scale of budgets to boost public services.
Are Tories Deliberately Posting Terrible Social Media?
Political parties
Are Tories Deliberately Posting Terrible Social Media?
It’s difficult to decide what the most ridiculous aspect of the Conservative party’s now-deleted twitter ad actually was. It could have been the presence of the England football team, or a Canadian car and US jet, which suggested several ways the party was ignorant about which country they are actually governing.
Doom And Disgruntled Tories Are Costing Whips Control Of MPs
Political parties
Doom And Disgruntled Tories Are Costing Whips Control Of MPs
A sense of impending doom and loyalties fractured by a revolving door of prime ministers has left the Conservative party difficult for the party whips to govern, according to MPs who are growing increasingly frustrated with their unruly colleagues.
Labour Could Risk Repeating Mistakes Of 2010 Tory Government
Political parties
Labour Could Risk Repeating Mistakes Of 2010 Tory Government
Senior political figures have warned that a potential new Labour government could risk making similar mistakes to the Conservatives when they made the transition to power in 2010, as a new report has highlighted lessons that Labour should take forward.
A tale of two Tories: the by-election that made Churchill weep
Political parties
By Lord Lexden
A tale of two Tories: the by-election that made Churchill weep
By trying to parachute an ex-Liberal cabinet minister called Winston Churchill into a safe seat, the Conservatives split a local party and set off one of the most rancorous by-elections in history. A hundred years later, Lord Lexden tells a tale of fighting, dirty tricks and flying turnips
MP Hopefuls Have The 'Luxury' Of Not Knowing Everything
Political parties
MP Hopefuls Have The "Luxury" Of Not Knowing Everything
Parliamentary candidates hoping to become MPs at the next general election still have the “luxury” of being able to “admit that you don’t know everything about everything,” according to a Conservative MP who will be standing down.
Reform UK's Success Hinges On Surpassing National Polling At Local Elections
Political parties
Reform UK's Success Hinges On Surpassing National Polling At Local Elections
A successful night at the local elections for Reform UK will be achieving "well above 15 per cent" in the areas they are standing, as the insurgent right wing party threatens to eat into the Tory vote.
Defeat For Ben Houchen Is Rishi Sunak's Biggest Danger Zone
Political parties
Defeat For Ben Houchen Is Rishi Sunak's Biggest Danger Zone
Not long ago the thought of Tory mayor of the Tees Valley Ben Houchen being voted out was pretty much unthinkable. That the possibility of it happening next month is even worrying Conservatives suggests the local elections really could spell serious trouble for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Major Parties Braced For 'Three Way' Battle For The South West At The General Election
Political parties
Major Parties Braced For "Three Way" Battle For The South West At The General Election
The South West is gearing up for a tight “three-way contest” between Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the next general election, as both opposition parties seek to oust incumbent Tories.
Elections Expert Warns Of 'Marked Downturn' In Turnout Due To Voter Apathy
Political parties
Elections Expert Warns Of "Marked Downturn" In Turnout Due To Voter Apathy
Lord Robert Hayward has warned that there could be a “marked downturn” in turnout at the next general election, as parties choose more local candidates in an attempt to fend off voter apathy towards Westminster.
Rishi Sunak Is Safe For Now But 'Chaos' Lurks Around The Corner
Political parties
Rishi Sunak Is Safe For Now But "Chaos" Lurks Around The Corner
MPs might be absent from Parliament during its three-week recess but questions over Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's position — and whether he will be able to hold out for an autumn general election — have not gone away.
Obsession With Where MPs Grew Up Could Be 'Hugely Damaging' To Politics
Political parties
Obsession With Where MPs Grew Up Could Be "Hugely Damaging" To Politics
A recent emphasis on the importance of MP candidates being from the area they seek to represent has been “hugely, hugely, hugely damaging to politics,” according to the journalist whose work scrutinises parliamentary candidate selections.
EventsAll
Practical AI: Closing the gap between possibility and reality
2024
Online
Practical AI: Closing the gap between possibility and reality
Net Zero Week 2024
2024
Online
Net Zero Week 2024