Editor’s Notes: Is this new group just a respite centre for Remainers…or something more? February 21, 2019 Are we witnessing the dawn of a new political age, or the spasm of a few politically homeless MPs? The smart answer is that it’s too early to tell, but if I were forced off the fence I’d say the latter is more likely. There will almost certainly be more defections, from Labour as well [...]
Theresa May tells quitting MPs the Conservative Party is not ‘warped’ like Labour February 21, 2019 Theresa May has insisted the Conservative party has not become “warped” after three resigning MPs accused it of being in the control of zealots. In an open letter to Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen – all of whom quit the Tories on Wednesday – the PM rejected any comparisons between her party and [...]
Theresa May fails to win concessions on withdrawal agreement during meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker February 20, 2019 Theresa May and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last night discussed possible "guarantees" and "legal assurances" that could be established in relation to the controversial Irish border backstop protocol that has dogged the PM's efforts to pass her Withdrawal Agreement. However, May failed to win concessions on her bid to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement in [...]
Tory MPs Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston quit Conservative party February 20, 2019 The Conservatives were reeling this lunchtime as three MPs announced they have quit the party to join a group of ex-Labour MPs. South Cambridgeshire’s Heidi Allen MP, Anna Soubry MP and Sarah Wollaston MP revealed they are leaving the party in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit stance, and will sit with the eight MPs who resigned [...]
Ken Clarke warns ‘fed up’ Tory MPs could quit the Conservative party February 20, 2019 Tory veteran Ken Clarke has said MPs from his party are "very fed up" and could contemplate defecting to the newly formed Independent Group. Clarke, a pro-EU MPs, told the BBC this morning: "Certainly some members of parliament are getting very fed up. There are some, I think – not including me – who probably [...]
Theresa May will travel to Brussels with the EU still not budging on the backstop February 19, 2019 Theresa May will travel to Brussels on Wednesday for a meeting with Jean Claude-Juncker after the EU once again ruled out fundamental changes to the Brexit deal. However, negotiators from both sides are currently working on a new legal text relating to the Irish backstop plan aimed at winning support from the UK parliament. Brexit [...]
Labour’s Magnificent Seven just made a no-deal Brexit more likely February 19, 2019 I am old enough to recall the “Gang of Four” in the eighties, when Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Shirley Williams and Bill Rogers left Labour to set up the Social Democratic Party. We know that all ended acrimoniously, with a reverse takeover by David Steel’s Liberal Party that created the Liberal Democrats. This week, we [...]
DEBATE: Have the Labour splitters helped the Conservative party? February 19, 2019 Have the Labour splitters helped the Conservative party? Lauren McEvatt, managing director at Morpeth Consulting, says YES. After the next election, the UK government will either be run by the Labour party or the Tory party. That’s the reality of the electoral system. The seven Labour splitters have denounced the modern Labour party as bullies, [...]
UK faces ‘large gaps’ in the law as just 13 per cent of EU regulations have been transferred ahead of Brexit February 18, 2019 Businesses face extensive disruption on the UK's scheduled departure date from the EU unless thousands of laws are amended in time for the 29 March deadline. Just 13 per cent of EU legislative regulations have been earmarked for retention by the government, meaning it faces a huge task in ensuring that all relevant laws are [...]
Theresa May issues last-minute Brexit plea to Tory MPs ahead of Brussels visit February 17, 2019 Theresa May has appealed to her warring MPs to set aside their "personal differences" on Brexit and unite behind her deal, as she faces another strained week of negotiations with Brussels. The PM wrote all Conservative MPs urging them to "move beyond what divides us" and warning that "history will judge us". May's latest plea [...]