Ousting Sajid Javid could limit Boris Johnson’s options February 18, 2020 Any time a Prime Minister reshuffles his or her cabinet, there are bound to be disappointed ministers — or ex-ministers — turfed out from a job they enjoy in a system that can sometimes prize loyalty over ability. But last week’s surprise resignation of Sajid Javid, the UK’s short-lived chancellor, could actually limit Boris Johnson’s [...]
Think carefully before shaking up the BBC licence fee February 18, 2020 The future of the BBC is in the spotlight once again. The government is running a consultation on the decriminalisation of the licence fee, and there has been plenty of speculation in the press as to whether there could be further changes to the way the BBC is funded or what its remit should be. [...]
EU ‘fails to see the point’ on UK’s trade stance, claims Frost February 17, 2020 Britain’s desire to step away from the EU’s rules is not “some clever tactical position” but the entire point of Brexit, Boris Johnson’s chief negotiator has told Brussels. In a stark warning that the UK would not capitulate to demands over the so-called level-playing field – which includes rules around competition, the environment and tax [...]
Sadiq Khan launches £50m ‘green new deal’ fund in pitch to Green Party voters February 17, 2020 Sadiq Khan has created a £50m fund for green energy projects in a direct appeal to Green Party voters in the lead up to the mayoral election. The mayor of London today announced the fund as a part of his “green new deal for London”, with the funds set to be allocated to programmes to [...]
Conservative MPs blast Number 10’s BBC ‘vendetta’ February 17, 2020 Senior Tory MPs have blasted Number 10’s “vendetta” against the BBC, describing plans scrap the licence fee and push the broadcaster towards a new subscription model as “cultural vandalism”. Yesterday the Sunday Times reported plans were being readied to overhaul the BBC by forcing it to sell off the majority of its radio stations and [...]
Fighting dirty: The most outrageous US election advertising hit jobs February 17, 2020 Earlier this month, millions of Americans were treated to six identical seconds of election advertising from two opposing political parties. “America demanded change,” booms a Don LaFontaine-esque Hollywood trailer-style voice over. “And change is what we got.” The clip featured first in Donald Trump’s Super Bowl re-election TV ad on 2 February, which touted the President’s [...]
The Democrats’ Bernie Sanders problem will lead to the re-election of Donald Trump February 17, 2020 The perpetual problem of the American left is that it wants to feel good, rather than do good. This tendency to suicidal virtue-signalling — damn the consequences — is glaringly apparent in the Democratic party’s full-blown Bernie Sanders problem, made real by his tie for first in Iowa, and his outright victory in last week’s [...]
DEBATE: Does it make sense to run the Treasury out of Number 10? February 17, 2020 Does it make sense to run the Treasury out of Number 10? Will Tanner, director of Onward, says YES. Boris Johnson is not the first resident of Number 10 to want a closer hold on Number 11. Pitt the Younger, Peel, Disraeli, Gladstone and Baldwin all served as chancellor and Prime Minister concurrently. The two [...]
Question marks surround Boris Johnson’s first budget February 16, 2020 The timing and content of the forthcoming budget was thrown into doubt this weekend, with the government refusing to confirm either the date of the announcement or that the current spending limits would remain in place. Boris Johnson is considering scrapping fiscal spending rules written just months ago as Number 10’s plans to take greater [...]
UK to demand same terms EU has offered to other countries in Brexit trade talks February 16, 2020 Boris Johnson’s chief EU negotiator is set to demand tomorrow that the UK be granted a trade deal on the same terms the EU has given to South Korea, Japan and Canada. David Frost will make his first public appearance at a speech in Brussels tomorrow. According to the Sunday Times, Frost will warn that [...]