David Brent was supposed to be a satire, now he looks like a model for political leaders Opinion Attention-seeking, self-absorbed and desperate to be liked, David Brent was meant to embody everything a leader should not be – but today’s media landscape rewards the very qualities Ricky Gervais satirised, says Tim Focas A Tiktok clip has gone viral for comparing Andy Burnham to David Brent. His cheesy mannerisms, dad dancing and guitar playing [...]
Reform’s Richard Tice under parliamentary investigation Politics Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice is facing a probe from the parliamentary standards watchdog for failing to declare an interest in a debate. Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary standards commissioner, confirmed a probe was opened on the 28th July but did not share further details about the scope of the investigation. Tice claimed it relates [...]
Has Nigel Farage peaked too soon? Opinion Whisper it but Nigel Farage and Reform UK’s ascendancy appears to be over, and the next election could be a straight Labour vs Conservatives fight, says Tom Harwood In May last year, when Keir Starmer dragged the nation’s political press along to a glass manufacturing centre in Warrington, everyone was a little baffled. While some [...]
Silly season is upon us but politics will get serious soon enough July 29, 2026 In May, Reform MP Danny Kruger unveiled a substantial piece of work “setting out Reform’s plans for the centre of government, shaped by the research of the Preparation for Government team.” His 5,000 word article went into huge detail about the structural changes his party intends to make to Whitehall and the machinery of government. [...]
The Debate: Should political donations be capped at £100,000? July 15, 2026 Britain currently has no cap on political donations. Is this freedom, or madness? We hear both sides in this week's Debate.
In praise of Count Binface July 15, 2026 By standing in the impending by-election in Clacton, Count Binface has more than proved his worth to both comedy and democracy, says James Ford I must confess to having a conflicted attitude to Count Binface. On the one hand, the former political adviser within me (who is, of course, a profound political snob) tends to [...]
Exclusive: Government to reject Reform’s offer to cover Farage by-election cost July 8, 2026 The government is set to reject Reform UK’s offer to cover the cost of the upcoming Clacton by-election to be contested by Nigel Farage, City AM understands, in a move that could leave the taxpayer facing a bill of more than £200,000. After Nigel Farage announced he would stand again for election in Clacton to [...]
Nigel Farage asks the crudest question: are you with me or against me? July 8, 2026 Calling a by-election in Clacton is a new tactic but Nigel Farage’s strategy is the same: simplify, polarise, demonise, says Eliot Wilson Whatever your opinion of Nigel Farage – and there’s a broad spectrum – he knows how to put on a show. The Reform UK leader has always been more Barnum than Bismarck, and [...]
‘If you find yourself stuck in politics, the thing to do is start a fight’ July 8, 2026 In the great work of historical fiction, Imperium, Robert Harris imagines the Roman statesman Cicero observing that “if you find yourself stuck in politics, the thing to do is start a fight.” Clacton may be a far cry from the ancient senate in Rome, but Nigel Farage has followed the playbook. Facing a parliamentary standards [...]
Farage quits to stand in ‘people versus establishment’ by-election July 7, 2026 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced that he will resign as an MP and stand again as a candidate in an upcoming Clacton by-election as part of what he dubbed a battle of “people versus establishment”. In a video statement where he repeatedly attacked Sky News and The Times and Sunday Times for “harassing” [...]