Enough buffoonery, Boris: it’s time for you to step up July 26, 2019 They say a week is a long time in politics. By that measure, this one has been longer than most. We’ve seen Theresa May’s departure from Downing Street (headed for Lords, it seems, and most likely a glass or two of chilled Pinot Grigio) and the installation of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson as prime [...]
John Glen retains position as economic secretary to the Treasury and City minister July 26, 2019 Boris Johnson has continued the process of selecting his ministers today following his appointment as Prime Minister on Wednesday. The latest to benefit is John Glen, the MP for Salisbury and South Wiltshire, who has retained his position as the economic secretary to the Treasury and City minister. Read more: UK car industry tells Boris [...]
Boris Johnson ramps up no-deal Brexit plans with £300m freight capacity pledge July 26, 2019 Boris Johnson has pledged to spend up to £300m on extra freight capacity in order to keep vital goods moving in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The disruption to imports and exports across the Channel is one of the most prominent risks facing Britain in the event of the UK leaving the European Union [...]
Boris Johnson to begin recruiting 20,000 new police officers in first policy as Prime Minister July 26, 2019 New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled the first policy he will implement since winning the Tory leadership battle on Wednesday. Johnson has confirmed that the process of recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers will begin “within weeks” across England and Wales. Read more: Johnson gears up for war with a cabinet of resurrected soliders [...]
Boris Johnson gears up for war with a cabinet of resurrected soldiers July 26, 2019 They say you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs. Apparently, you also can’t build a governmental team capable of taking Britain out of the EU without breaking apart any sense of unity or collaborative sentiment in the Conservative party. Boris Johnson has appointed a cabinet of the living dead, not in the way [...]
Former banker Sajid Javid’s first job as chancellor? To stand up to Boris Johnson July 25, 2019 Analysts at Deutsche Bank triggered sighs across the City yesterday with an attempt to coin the term “Borisnomics”. The portmanteau, as clunky as the new Prime Minister’s debut speech on the steps of Downing Street, is unlikely to catch on – but whatever we call it (Bojonomics, Johnsonomics…) how should we judge Boris Johnson’s likely approach [...]
Tips for Boris Johnson and his new team at Number 10 July 25, 2019 When it comes to the transfer of power, the British political system is lightning fast. You must immediately move from the startup mentality of campaigning to the awesome responsibility of governing. Whether coming out of a leadership contest or a General Election, there is no transition period. Nothing can quite prepare any incoming Downing Street [...]
Hammond quits the Treasury with one final warning for Boris Johnson July 24, 2019 Philip Hammond has officially resigned as chancellor of the Treasury, but not without leaving a no-deal Brexit warning for his successor. Hammond wrote to outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May today to confirm his decision to quit her cabinet before Boris Johnson gets the keys to Number 10 later this afternoon. Read more: Boris set to [...]
Boris won the keys to Number 10 – now can he win an election? July 24, 2019 If it wasn’t clear before yesterday’s conclusion of the Tory leadership race, it sure is now: Britain is facing a General Election, and sooner rather than later. Every incoming Prime Minister is greeted with trepidation, sometimes edging into scepticism. That is normal in a country which has traditionally frowned on cults of personality. But the [...]
Boris Johnson must be brave enough to disappoint some of his backers July 23, 2019 Boris Johnson’s victory in the Conservative leadership race was never in doubt, and in truth neither was the scale of his win. Two of out three Conservative members backed the former foreign secretary, giving him a sizeable mandate from the party faithful. Together with securing the support of more than half of his parliamentary colleagues, [...]