Budget 2024: Why the post-match politics are risky for Labour October 31, 2024 After months of speculation, Rachel Reeves has finally unveiled Labour’s first Budget in power. Coming in the wake of 14 years in opposition, this big tax and spend – and borrow – document is very much an ideological project, with the NHS, schools and low-paid workers among the big winners. The Chancellor may have ditched [...]
Make the Tories Conservative again? October 23, 2024 A particularly laughable defence of socialism is that it’s never really been tried. It’s tempting to dismiss the central analysis of both candidates for the Tory leadership – that their Party lost the general election because they were not conservative enough in government – on similar grounds. But it would be a mistake to imagine [...]
Tory leadership: I’ll return us to ‘party of sound money’, Robert Jenrick pledges October 16, 2024 Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick has pledged to return the Conservatives to “being the party of sound money”, if elected. The former migration minister outlined his economic plans in a speech this morning in which he admitted the Conservatives “abandoned fiscal responsibility in the mini-Budget.” Jenrick told an audience of journalists and MPs at a [...]
Tory leadership: End race early so victor can respond to Budget, says Jenrick October 10, 2024 Robert Jenrick has called for the Tory leadership race to end early so that the winner can be in place to respond to Rachel Reeves’ first Budget. The Chancellor will deliver Labour’s first fiscal statement on 30 October, and the leadership hopeful has argued for a speedier end to the race ahead of the major [...]
Jenrick and Badenoch to face off in final Tory leadership vote as Cleverly crashes out October 9, 2024 Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch will go head-to-head in the final heat of the Conservative Party leadership contest, after James Cleverly was knocked out in the latest round of voting.
Tory leadership: James Cleverly tops MP ballot as Tom Tugendhat knocked out October 8, 2024 James Cleverly has topped the latest MP ballot to take over as Tory leader, with rival candidate Tom Tugendhat being eliminated from the race. Former home and foreign secretary Cleverly received 39 votes from Tory MPs in the latest round of voting in the race to replace Rishi Sunak as leader. He overtook fellow hopeful [...]
The Capitalist: Tory Conference; sex in the City; matters of quizness October 3, 2024 Dispatches from Tory Party Conference, recruitment turns steamy and more: catch up on the latest City gossip in The Capitalist.
Let’s be honest… the Conservatives are deluded October 3, 2024 The Conservative Party is enjoying the sugar rush of a leadership campaign, but the grim reality of opposition will soon sink in, says Matthew Lesh The vibe at the Conservative Party conference this week in Birmingham was chipper. Well-lubricated members excitedly shuffled between drinks receptions headlined by the four leadership contenders. There were impromptu rallies, [...]
The ECHR is a vital guarantor of our freedom October 3, 2024 Far from endangering our freedoms, the ECHR makes the individual, not the state, the centre of the international order, says Sam Fowles An immutable law of modern politics is that the louder a politician bloviates about “freedom” the more authoritarian they will be in power. The last government waxed lyrical about “freedom of speech” then [...]
Tories must get out of their bubble and listen to business October 2, 2024 To those outside the bubble of true blue believers, Conservative party conference looked deranged. As violence exploded in the Middle East, delegates in Birmingham were battling over novelty merchandise and queuing for selfies with election losers. Fringe events debating the meaning of conservatism were packed while corporate sponsors and business lobbyists were conspicuous by their [...]