The King’s Speech was overshadowed by the Westminster clown show Politics Put the current political chaos from your mind for a moment and imagine that Keir Starmer wasn’t under threat. Imagine a version of the Prime Minister – still unpopular and still struggling to engineer economic growth – but at least with the full backing of his cabinet and MPs. Under such circumstances, yesterday’s King’s Speech [...]
Tories pledge to slash tax and red tape in ‘alternative King’s Speech’ Politics The Tories have set out their vision for the UK economy, pledging to slash taxes and red tape to “back innovation, entrepreneurship and growth”. Kemi Badenoch’s party has said it would slash welfare spending, scrap business rates for high street business and repeal Labour’s workers’ rights reforms. The Conservatives have published their “alternative King’s Speech,” [...]
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is right – our energy policy is ‘all over the place’ Energy Punchy interventions from chemicals tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe are not rare; most announcements from his company, Ineos, are enriched with a missive from the billionaire on where exactly the UK is going wrong. But these are no mere PR ploys. The stakes are high and he knows what he’s talking about. Yesterday’s confirmation of his [...]
Kemi Badenoch: Thoughtful, patient…radical? May 5, 2026 With local elections just days away much of the focus has been on what the results will mean for Keir Starmer’s chances of survival. Related to this is the question of how well Reform and the Greens will do, with fewer column inches devoted to what lies ahead for the Conservatives. To some extent this [...]
Kemi Badenoch interview: ‘I want an economic revolution’ May 5, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has told City AM she wants to deliver “an economic revolution” in the UK, based on lower taxes, less government intervention and “a mindset shift” that puts businesses and the City at the heart of the growth agenda. Speaking ahead of this week’s local elections, the Tory leader says she is developing policies [...]
Tories target £1bn benefits loophole in welfare crackdown May 3, 2026 The Conservatives have pledged to close what they claim is a £1bn loophole in the welfare system, in a move aimed at tightening benefit rules and boosting incentives to work. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said the party would overhaul the benefit cap so households cannot receive unlimited payments unless all adults who [...]
Starmer blocks sleaze inquiry despite Tory and Labour pressure April 28, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has won a vote to block a parliamentary inquiry into whether he misled MPs over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite significant pressure from opposition parties and some Labour MPs. Labour backbenchers voted down a Tory motion to launch a so-called “sleaze inquiry” by the Privileges Committee [...]
Reform UK lead slips as Labour jumps after Iran war criticism April 15, 2026 Reform UK’s polling lead slipped in April as Sir Keir Starmer’s criticism of the war in Iran helped mount a slight comeback, fresh data has shown. Reform UK remained top of the party rankings for voter intentions in new research by City AM/Freshwater Strategy. Nigel Farage’s party lost four points in April as around 26 [...]
Interest rate on student loans to be capped April 7, 2026 Interest on student loans will be capped, in an attempt from the government to draw a line under a political row which has engulfed Westminster. Labour has announced that maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans will not rise beyond six per cent from the next academic year starting in September. [...]
MPs demand Kanye West ban as FTSE 100 sponsor ditches Wireless Festival April 6, 2026 Labour MPs are calling on Sir Keir Starmer to ban Kanye West from performing in north London this summer as major sponsors ditched Wireless Festival. Luke Akehurst and Rachael Maskell are among some of the MPs to have publicly urged Starmer to intervene on a visa to be issued to the ‘Gold Digger’ rapper, who [...]