Iowa caucus: Pete Buttigieg wins Democrat vote by 0.1 per cent February 7, 2020 Pete Buttigieg narrowly won the Democrats’ presidential Iowa caucus, the state party said last night, after a long delay in releasing the results of the first contest in the race to pick a challenger to Republican President Donald Trump. Buttigieg, the moderate 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, edged out progressive US senator Bernie [...]
Don’t turn BBC reform into a political football February 7, 2020 Move over Brexit, there’s a new B-word battle: over the fate of the BBC. Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s chief adviser, has had the broadcaster in his sights for some time, with reports from his think tank in 2004 suggesting axing it altogether. Opening shots were fired after December’s election, when Cummings imposed a ministerial [...]
We must not let fear of terror attacks compromise our human rights February 7, 2020 The recent attacks in London Bridge and Streatham have highlighted clear flaws in the management of terror offenders. Both were perpetrated by convicts still under licence conditions, released automatically halfway through their sentences. The government is now urgently looking to address this — as it undoubtedly should. However, it should be wary of trampling civil [...]
Does Philip Hammond deserve a peerage? February 7, 2020 Does Philip Hammond deserve a peerage? Ben Kelly, a commentator for Reaction, says YES. Philip Hammond became a mighty irritant to Tory Brexiteers during his time as chancellor, so it is unsurprising that many of them are irked by Boris Johnson nominating him for a peerage. It’s true that he passionately opposed Brexit and was [...]
City grandee Peter Cruddas in line for a peerage February 6, 2020 Peter Cruddas will reportedly be granted a peerage as Boris Johnson adds to the Brexit-supporting Conservatives in the House of Lords. Cruddas, who is the co-founder and chief executive of CMC Markets, is on a list of nominees that will be considered by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, according to Sky News. The appointment [...]
Bercow criticised by House of Commons as peerage row rages on February 6, 2020 Former speaker John Bercow has been attacked by the House of Commons for naming staff members in his tell-all book of his time in the chair, which was published this morning. A spokesperson for the House of Commons said: “Staff work incredibly hard to enable the effective functioning of our democracy and have a right [...]
Sajid Javid’s growth plan unlikely to succeed, says think tank February 6, 2020 Sajid Javid’s plan to double the UK’s economic growth rate has little chance of success, according to a major think tank, as Britain pays the price for weak productivity. Javid has said he wants to boost UK economic growth to around 2.75 per cent by “levelling up” spending across the country. Yet the National Institute [...]
Derek Mackay: Scots finance secretary resigns amid teen messages claims February 6, 2020 Scotland’s finance secretary Derek Mackay has resigned just hours before he was due to give the budget amid claims he sent hundreds of messages to a 16-year-old boy. The 42-year-old Cabinet secretary for finance, economy and fair work contacted the boy on Facebook and Instagram. Reports suggest the pair exchanged 270 messages for around six [...]
Prime Minister gives Hammond and Clarke the nod for Lords February 6, 2020 Boris Johnson has nominated two of his most vocal critics – who he punished by removing the whip last year – for peerages. Former chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond were both sacked by the Prime Minister for blocking his plan to press on with a no deal Brexit in October. Although some of the [...]
Republicans acquit Donald Trump in impeachment trial February 6, 2020 President Donald Trump was acquitted yesterday in his Senate impeachment trial, saved by fellow Republicans who rallied to protect him nine months before he asks voters in a deeply divided America to give him a second White House term. The businessman-turned-politician, 73, survived only the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history – just like [...]