Reform could yet come crashing down to earth September 25, 2025 Analysing Welsh council by-elections may not be your idea of a good time (it isn’t mine, frankly) but one caught my eye last week. In the ward of Trowbridge in Cardiff, Labour lost the seat as the party’s vote share evaporated, down more than 30 per cent. They came third, behind the Liberal Democrats who [...]
Carlton Club in the red as it counts the cost of Labour’s victory September 11, 2025 The Conservative Party stronghold, the Carlton Club, has fallen into the red as it counted the cost of Labour’s victory in last year’s general election. The private members’ club, which was the original home of the party, said it lost out on revenue after “functions declined due to the cancellation of political events following political [...]
Hard truths from Lord Rose and Badenoch the thorn September 10, 2025 Yesterday was a day for hard truths and straight talking. It began with City veteran Lord Rose who said the UK is “at the edge of a crisis.” The former M&S chief and Asda chair said that after working for more than 50 years, and despite a predisposition to optimism, he looks at the state [...]
Hospitality bosses join Tories in opposition to Labour government September 3, 2025 Hospitality bosses have joined the Conservatives in condemning the Labour government for introducing higher taxes on businesses, rolling out red tape on employment and excluding the sector from growth strategies. Managers at pubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK have warned that the government’s taxes and regulations risk devastating the important sector. Now the Conservatives [...]
SME housebuilders are key to growth – and the Conservative revival August 1, 2025 Housing was a major cause of the Conservative collapse – particularly with young people. If we want to build the right houses in the right places, SMEs are the answer, says Jack Rankin Like the Chancellor, I’m no economist. She might have a degree in PPE, but you don’t need that to work out that [...]
Will the Afghan leak win votes for Nigel Farage? Don’t be so sure July 17, 2025 Nigel Farage and Reform UK have made hay out of the government’s embarrassing leak and subsequent cover-up of information concerning Afghan asylum applications. But it may not be the vote-winner he thinks, says William Atkinson “The supreme function of statesmanship,” according to Enoch Powell, “is to provide against preventable evils’” Considering that, what should we [...]
Benefits claimants take home more than minimum wage workers July 10, 2025 Brits claiming sickness benefits can be paid up to £25,000, which is more than the take home pay of a minimum wage worker. That’s according to new research from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), which found that if a claimant is receiving universal credit incapacity benefits alongside personal independence payments and housing benefits, the total [...]
Fans will end up paying for football regulator, Tories warn July 9, 2025 Fans of clubs outside the Premier League should expect ticket price rises following the approval of a football regulator, Shadow Sport Minister Louie French has warned. The Championship, League One and League Two are all heavily loss-making but could face a bill of almost £50m towards the operation of the Independent Regulator for English Football. [...]
Beer we go: Football alcohol ban could be reviewed as MPs prepare to vote July 8, 2025 MPs could be asked to vote today on proposals to review the ban on football supporters consuming alcohol in the stands at matches. Fans have been prohibited from drinking in view of the pitch in the top five tiers of English professional football for the last 40 years. But that legislation could be reviewed as [...]
Labour go on about Liz Truss but are repeating all Rishi Sunak’s mistakes July 8, 2025 Too many in Labour congratulate themselves for rescuing the country from Liz Truss, forgetting that Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt did most of the work. No wonder backbenchers are angry about a policy platform that’s barely distinct form their Tory predecessors, says Will Cooling There’s no shortage of things that have gone wrong with the [...]