Show them the book: why politicians need to read more novels Opinion Leading historian Dominic Sandbrook has said declining reading habits of our politicians tells you everything you need to know about why they’re so inadequate. William Atkinson couldn’t agree more… Would Keir Starmer be a better Prime Minister if he went to bed with a good Trollope? That was the suggestion of Dominic Sandbrook – Britain’s [...]
Robert Jenrick was the last sign of life the Conservative party had Opinion In booting out her erstwhile rival, Badenoch may have won herself a day’s worth of positive headlines but has done deep damage to the Conservative Party. She has lost an effective media performer with a detailed policy brain and extensive government experience: exactly the sort of battle-hardened but repentant ex-minister Reform were crying out for, [...]
Is it too late for Kemi to turn the Tories around? Opinion Conservative Party Conference proved the Tories are doing some proper thinking on the policies Britain needs, but is Reform’s poll lead already unassailable? Ask William Atkinson Why go to Conservative Party conference? After five days in Manchester, that question feels rather existential. I’ve only attended professionally. Despite having been a member since I was 15 [...]
Is Danny Kruger right about the death of the Conservative party? September 16, 2025 Danny Kruger’s defection to Reform is a body blow for Kemi Badenoch’s failing project. But Nigel Farage doesn’t have the answers either, says William Atkinson The last Conservative has left the building. Is it time to turn out the lights? That is what ambitious, talented and intelligent Conservatives are thinking following Danny Kruger’s defection to [...]
What should the City make of eco-populist Zack Polanski ? September 2, 2025 The new leader of the Green Party once claimed he could increase a journalist’s breast size through hypnotism. Now Zack Polanski says wealth taxes can fix climate change. William Atkinson casts a sceptical eye In the 1980s and 1990s, the German Green Party was riven by a split between the Fundis and the Realos. The [...]
Kemi Badenoch shuffles deckchairs on the Tory Titanic July 23, 2025 Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet reshuffle saw plenty of promotions for yesterday’s men – but the party is on an inevitable course towards an electoral iceberg, says William Atkinson Over the weekend, I re-read London Fields, by Martin Amis. (This paper’s Opinion and Features Editor introduced me to the late author two years ago, and of [...]
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 [...]
If you think it’s bad for Henry on £100k, spare a thought for his Gen Z brother July 8, 2025 Life may be tough if you’re a High Earner, Not Rich Yet – but at least Henry has hope. His younger counterpart Nick, 30, has only known bad times and he’s fuelling the rise of populist parties, says William Atkinson Last week, Eliza Filby profiled the plight of the Henry: a High Earner, Not Rich [...]
Kemi Badenoch must quit now to save the Conservative Party May 5, 2025 Last week’s local election results were an extinction-level event for the Conservative Party. To prevent Nigel Farage becoming the real leader of the British right, Kemi Badenoch must resign now, says William Atkinson Amid stiff competition from their Canadian and Australian counterparts, the Conservatives’ local election disaster was the worst performance for a centre-right party [...]
Who will be Labour’s next John Prescott? November 25, 2024 He couldn’t have been more different to Tony Blair, yet John Prescott ended up being our longest serving deputy prime minister. But is there a talent like him in Starmer’s cabinet? Asks William Atkinson As well as having a decent right hook, the late John Prescott was our longest-serving deputy prime minister (DPM). The formal creation of the [...]
