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Tue, 18 February 2025

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Alain Tolhurst

Alain Tolhurst

Alain Tolhurst is Chief Reporter at PoliticsHome and host of The Rundown podcast each week.

Labour MP “Couldn't Give A Monkey’s” About Left's Concerns On Digital IDs
Home affairs
Labour MP “Couldn't Give A Monkey’s” About Left's Concerns On Digital IDs
A Labour MP urging the government to introduce digital ID cards said he “couldn't give a monkey’s” about concerns from progressives in his party if the move can deliver policy results.
Parties' Failure To Discuss Brexit 'Terrible Abdication Of Responsibility', Says Michael Heseltine
Brexit
Parties' Failure To Discuss Brexit 'Terrible Abdication Of Responsibility', Says Michael Heseltine
A failure to discuss Brexit during the election campaign last year was a “terrible abdication of responsibility” by Labour and the Conservatives, according to former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine.
MPs Must Focus On What Drives Homelessness, Not Just 'The Emergency', Says Big Issue Founder
Social affairs
By Alain Tolhurst
MPs Must Focus On What Drives Homelessness, Not Just "The Emergency", Says Big Issue Founder
The co-founder of the Big Issue magazine has accused politicians of being “obsessed” with tackling the homelessness "emergency" and not the poverty that drives it.
Keir Starmer Will Face “Immense Pressure” To Allow More Time For Assisted Dying Debate If Bill Passes
Social affairs
By Alain Tolhurst
Keir Starmer Will Face “Immense Pressure” To Allow More Time For Assisted Dying Debate If Bill Passes
Parliamentary experts have predicted that Keir Starmer will be forced to give MPs more time to debate the issue of assisted dying if the bill looking legalise it passes next week.
Tory Spending Plans Were 'Like Five-Year-Old' Writing Their 'Favourite Numbers', Says Labour MP Defending Tax Rises
Economy
By Alain Tolhurst
Tory Spending Plans Were "Like Five-Year-Old" Writing Their "Favourite Numbers", Says Labour MP Defending Tax Rises
A Labour MP has called spending plans set out by the previous Tory government before the General Election as “complete rubbish” after criticism of Rachel Reeves for raising £40bn in tax rises.
Redundancy Payouts For Losing MPs 'Not Enough', Says Ousted Tory
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Redundancy Payouts For Losing MPs "Not Enough", Says Ousted Tory
The money given to former MPs who lose their seats should be bigger to help them adjust to life post-Parliament, according to a Conservative defeated in July’s General Election.
Don’t Rush To Pass Bills And Make More Shoddy Laws, Labour Warned
Parliament
By Alain Tolhurst
Don’t Rush To Pass Bills And Make More Shoddy Laws, Labour Warned
As the new Labour Government prepares to launch its legislative agenda, a leading left-leaning think tank is warning ministers to slow down passing new bills or risk putting more bad laws on the statute book.
Arts Minister Says ‘Watch This Space’ On Dynamic Ticket Pricing After Oasis Uproar
Culture
Arts Minister Says ‘Watch This Space’ On Dynamic Ticket Pricing After Oasis Uproar
The new arts minister has said the secondary ticket market “drives me mad” and that people should “watch this space” over the Government’s review into so-called dynamic pricing.
More Government Support Needed For Bereaved Families, Says Widowed MP
Social affairs
By Alain Tolhurst
More Government Support Needed For Bereaved Families, Says Widowed MP
A new MP who was widowed aged just 34 said the Government must do more to help bereaved families through the long-term impact of dealing with the death of a loved one.
Historic Defeat Must Be ‘Watershed Moment’ For Reforming Tory Party, Says New MP
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Historic Defeat Must Be ‘Watershed Moment’ For Reforming Tory Party, Says New MP
The catastrophic defeat suffered by the Conservative Party last month must be a “watershed moment” for how it organises and campaigns, according to one of its newly-elected MPs.
“It’s Terry Or Truss” — Labour MP Who Unseated Liz Truss Reveals How He Beat Ex-PM
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
“It’s Terry Or Truss” — Labour MP Who Unseated Liz Truss Reveals How He Beat Ex-PM
The Labour MP who overturned Liz Truss’ huge majority to oust the former prime minister on 4 July said he ran on the slogan; look, it's Liz Truss.
Online Safety Laws Need To Be Implemented Quicker, Says MP In Riot-Hit Town
Social affairs
By Alain Tolhurst
Online Safety Laws Need To Be Implemented Quicker, Says MP In Riot-Hit Town
An MP in a town marred by racist violence spurred on by social media has called for new laws tackling online incitement to be brought in sooner.
Senior Tories Admit Things ‘Could Get Worse’ For Party Before They Get Better
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Senior Tories Admit Things ‘Could Get Worse’ For Party Before They Get Better
The Conservatives must “not accept that this is as low as it gets” despite slumping to its worst election result ever last month, according to two senior party figures.
Labour Showing ‘Seriousness’ By Moving EU 'Reset' Job To Cabinet Office
Brexit
Labour Showing ‘Seriousness’ By Moving EU 'Reset' Job To Cabinet Office
Moving responsibility for dealing with the European Union closer to Number 10 shows “a level of seriousness” from Labour in resetting relations with Brussels, according to a former government special adviser on Europe who was involved in the Brexit negotiations.
Tory Focus On Immigration Has Little Appeal For Voters Moving To Labour
Economy
By Alain Tolhurst
Tory Focus On Immigration Has Little Appeal For Voters Moving To Labour
New polling shows how little voters currently undecided or leaning towards Labour care less about immigration compared with the cost of living and the National Health Service.
Nigel Farage's Election Bid Means There “Are No Safe Tory Seats Anymore”
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Nigel Farage's Election Bid Means There “Are No Safe Tory Seats Anymore”
The potential negative impact of Nigel Farage entering the campaign on the Conservatives’ electoral chances is “almost infinitely large”, according to leading election experts, declaring there “is no such thing as a safe seat now” for the Tories.
Tory MP Says BNP Is A Better Fit For Natalie Elphicke Than Labour
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Tory MP Says BNP Is A Better Fit For Natalie Elphicke Than Labour
Conservative MP Mark Garnier has said he would have better understood Natalie Elphicke's decision to defect from his party if she had chosen “Reform or the BNP” rather than Labour.
Liz Truss Doubts Slowing Down Would Have Saved Her From 'Establishment Forces'
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
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.

Tory MP Says Government Has ‘Broken Its Promises’ On Banning Conversion Therapy
Social affairs
By Alain Tolhurst
Tory MP Says Government Has ‘Broken Its Promises’ On Banning Conversion Therapy
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns has accused the government of breaking promises on conversion therapy after proposed legislation to outlaw it appears to have dropped off ministers’ agendas.
Reform Says A Labour Government Is Worth It For ‘Obliterating Tories’
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Reform Says A Labour Government Is Worth It For ‘Obliterating Tories’
The deputy leader of right-wing party Reform UK has said they would be comfortable with Labour forming the next government if it meant “booting out the Tory party” at the next general election, due this year.

Tory MP Compares Planning System To “A Scene From The Thick Of It”
Communities
By Alain Tolhurst
Tory MP Compares Planning System To “A Scene From The Thick Of It”
Former Conservative housing minister Brandon Lewis has said the UK's planning system means that the process to get permission for new developments resembles a scene from satirical TV programme “The Thick of It”.
AI Minister Warns Regulation Must Move Faster Than Online Safety Bill
Technology
By Alain Tolhurst
AI Minister Warns Regulation Must Move Faster Than Online Safety Bill
The minister for AI has insisted the government must move more quickly to draw up AI safety regulation than it did to pass online safety legislation or there is a risk the technology will have “moved on”.
Former Corbyn Strategist Says It's 'Magical Thinking' To Expect Keir Starmer To Be Radical In No.10
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Former Corbyn Strategist Says It's "Magical Thinking" To Expect Keir Starmer To Be Radical In No.10
Jeremy Corbyn's former chief strategist James Schneider has said he believes it is “the most silly type of magical thinking” to expect Labour leader Keir Starmer to become more radical if he enters Downing Street, as some have suggested he could.
Luciana Berger Says “Democracy Is Diminished” When MPs Are Made To Feel Unsafe
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Luciana Berger Says “Democracy Is Diminished” When MPs Are Made To Feel Unsafe
The former Labour MP Luciana Berger has said “our democracy is diminished” when people in politics are made to feel unsafe due to the online abuse that she and others have suffered.
Chris Bryant Wants To Resurrect Two Hundred Year Old Rule To Oust Nadine Dorries
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Chris Bryant Wants To Resurrect Two Hundred Year Old Rule To Oust Nadine Dorries
Chair of the Commons standards committee Chris Bryant has threatened to try to resurrect an arcane parliamentary rule to force Nadine Dorries out of parliament after the MP failed to formally resign, despite announcing her intention to do so in June.

Tory Peer Says UK Has “Failed' To Learn Infectious Disease Lessons From Covid
Coronavirus
Tory Peer Says UK Has “Failed" To Learn Infectious Disease Lessons From Covid
Former public health minster Lord Bethell says he fears we haven’t “learned the lessons about infectious disease” from Covid-19 and health resources “are in worse shape” now than before the pandemic hit.
Elections Strategist Tells MPs To 'Calm Down' In Dash To Ditch Green Policies After ULEZ Row
Environment
By Alain Tolhurst
Elections Strategist Tells MPs To "Calm Down" In Dash To Ditch Green Policies After ULEZ Row
Government and opposition parties have been urged to hold their nerve on the net zero agenda, after the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) row that characterised the Uxbridge and Ruislip by-election has spooked politicians into think voters will reject environmental policy.
Labour MP Challenges Grant Shapps To Justify 'Insane' Onshore Wind Ban
Energy
By Alain Tolhurst
Labour MP Challenges Grant Shapps To Justify "Insane" Onshore Wind Ban
Labour MP Barry Gardiner has said the government's decision to keep the effective moratorium on building new onshore wind farms is “insane” and is keen for the chance to challenge the Energy Security and Net Zero secretary to justify the government's Net Zero plans to MPs.
The Fraught Process Behind Who Gets To Run To Be An MP
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
The Fraught Process Behind Who Gets To Run To Be An MP
With a general election due to be called in 2024, a new cohort of MPs will soon enter parliament, and the secretive, often controversial, battle for each party to decide who is in the running is already underway.
Liz Truss's Ill-Fated Leadership Reached “Pivot Point” At Chevening Meetings
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Liz Truss's Ill-Fated Leadership Reached “Pivot Point” At Chevening Meetings
A close ally of former Prime Minister Liz Truss has said that the seeds of her downfall were likely to have been sown before she even entered Downing Street, during meetings preparing for government in the final stages of last summer's Conservative leadership contest.

Tory MP Admits “We’re All At Risk” Of Defeat After Disastrous Local Elections
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Tory MP Admits “We’re All At Risk” Of Defeat After Disastrous Local Elections
Conservative MPs are fearing for their fates at the next general election after the party took a hammering at last week's locals, losing more than 1,000 council seats.

Challenge For Charles To Take On His Mother’s Mantle As UK’s Top Diplomat
Parliament
By Alain Tolhurst
Challenge For Charles To Take On His Mother’s Mantle As UK’s Top Diplomat
As Charles prepares to be crowned, the new King faces the challenge of not only emulating his mother Queen Elizabeth II as a head of state, but as the UK’s biggest diplomatic asset.
After Six Months In No 10, Fixing The NHS Is Still Rishi Sunak’s Biggest Test
Health
By Alain Tolhurst
After Six Months In No 10, Fixing The NHS Is Still Rishi Sunak’s Biggest Test
Rishi Sunak has completed six months as Prime Minister, but despite having returned his chaotic party to a state of relative stability and clawed back some points from Labour in the polls, whether he can fix the crisis in the NHS remains his biggest barrier to staying in office.
Senior Tory Tells Rishi Sunak To Take “Leap Of Faith” And Offer Doctors New Pay Deal
Health
By Alain Tolhurst
Senior Tory Tells Rishi Sunak To Take “Leap Of Faith” And Offer Doctors New Pay Deal
Tory chair of the health select committee Steve Brine wants Rishi Sunak to take “a leap of faith” and offer a new pay deal to doctors, to end the long-running industrial action before further strikes are announced.

Parliamentary Staff Could Face “Corporate Manslaughter Charges” If Crumbling Palace of Westminster Claims A Life
Parliament
By Alain Tolhurst
Parliamentary Staff Could Face “Corporate Manslaughter Charges” If Crumbling Palace of Westminster Claims A Life
As MPs continue to delay plans to renovate the crumbling Palace of Westminster a leading Parliamentary expert says staff would be the ones to face “charges of corporate manslaughter” if someone dies before it is fixed.
Labour Is Braced For The Prospect Of A “Game-Changer” By-Election In Scotland
Political parties
By Alain Tolhurst
Labour Is Braced For The Prospect Of A “Game-Changer” By-Election In Scotland
A Scottish by-election that could be triggered by standards committee sanctions against MP Margaret Ferrier would be a "game-changer" for Labour, according to the party's only Westminster MP in the country.