Time to cull the ministers who sit around the cabinet table January 15, 2020 Walter Bagehot, one of the fathers of our modern constitutional structure, believed that the cabinet was the “efficient secret” of the British state. But what if the institution is now too large to run the country efficiently? I agree with the assessment from chief Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings that the cabinet as it stands [...]
National living wage set to rise over six per cent in 2020 December 31, 2019 Almost three million workers are set to receive a 6.2 per cent pay rise from April, after the government announced plans to raise the national living wage. The raise, which the government says will be “the biggest cash increase ever”, comes as prime minister Boris Johnson seeks yo shore up support from the working class [...]
Donald Trump invites Boris Johnson to White House December 22, 2019 US president Donald Trump has reportedly invited prime minister Boris Johnson to visit him in the White House in the new year. The Sunday Times reported that Trump’s invitation to Johnson was made after the British prime minister’s recent election win. Read more: European stocks rally as Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is approved Formal discussions [...]
Brexit bill: MPs back Boris Johnson’s EU withdrawal agreement December 20, 2019 MPs have voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill during today’s second reading in the House of Commons. It paves the way for the UK to leave the European Union by 31 January. Read more: Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role It was voted for by 358 MPs, while 234 voted [...]
Brexit bill: MPs to vote on Boris Johnson’s deal in second reading December 20, 2019 MPs will today vote on Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill just more than a month before 31 January deadline. The withdrawal bill was first introduced to the House of Commons in October and will have its second reading today. Read more: CBI welcomes Prime Minister’s Brexit trade deal deadline MPs will have a chance to debate [...]
DEBATE: Is it time to reform the civil service, as Dominic Cummings intends? December 19, 2019 Is it time for a full restructuring of the civil service, as Dominic Cummings intends? YES, says Duncan Simpson, research director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance. The “Rolls Royce” reputation of the civil service has long been in question. From hugely overpriced procurements in defence and transport, to overly-anxious advice on EU exit negotiations, the supposed [...]
Dominic Cummings may be ruthless, but he delivers when it comes to securing victory December 16, 2019 The Tories’ election victory may have been fronted by the indefatigable Boris Johnson, but underlying it was the vindication of a strategy conceived by his chief advisor: Dominic Cummings. He may have gained notoriety as campaign director of Vote Leave in the EU referendum, but it was his role in masterminding the 2004 “North East [...]
Boris Johnson thanks north of England for ‘breaking voting habits of generations’ December 14, 2019 Boris Johnson has thanked the north of England for “breaking the voting habits of generations” during a visit to Sedgefield today. The Prime Minister visited the former seat of Tony Blair after celebrating the Conservative’s 80-seat majority – the party’s largest since 1987. It was the first time the Country Durham constituency has been held [...]
Election survivors: All the MPs who only just held onto their seats December 13, 2019 With every General Election comes speculation that Westminster stalwarts and cabinet ministers might lose their seats, and this was no different. But for some, last night brought a sigh of relief, as campaigners hoping they would be ousted were proved wrong. Read more: General Election: Boris Johnson praises ‘stonking mandate’ for Brexit Theresa May For [...]
Donald Trump: Britain free to strike ‘massive’ trade deal with US after Boris Johnson election victory December 13, 2019 Traditionally, for the winner of a General Election, results day involves taking congratulatory calls from leaders across the globe. But in Boris Johnson’s case, US President Donald Trump has beaten the others to the punch, tweeting that he will soon bestow the re-elected Tory PM with a “massive” new trade deal once he has delivered [...]