By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Imagine what it's like to enjoy a pint or two, be locked away in the Priory for years – and then suddenly be released into a brewery. It's fair to say that Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, doesn't mind a bit of publicity. But his confinement for many years […]
Liam Fox is MP for Woodspring and a former Defence Secretary This weekend sees the celebration of Trafalgar Day. Two hundred and seven years ago this week, Nelson finally managed to engage the French and Spanish fleets decisively in battle. That victory off the Cape of Trafalgar would ensure British dominance of the world’s oceans […]
Martin Callanan MEP is Chairman of the European Conservatives. Follow the ECR Group on Twitter. Before every summit the major political families hold a meeting to discuss their perspectives, prepare strategy, and to give parties that may not be in government an opportunity to make their voices heard in front of those around the Council […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter The Prime Minister may not have come out of the last 24 hours particularly well but new Energy Minister John Hayes has had a good energy shambles. I wonder if a new star has been born? How many readers have seen (watch this Guardian clip from just after two […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Over on his blog Dan Hannan MEP is rightly angry but not lost for words: "For three generations, the badge of the Soviet revolution meant poverty, slavery, torture and death. It adorned the caps of the chekas who came in the night. It opened and closed the propaganda films […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Michael Crick tweeted earlier this evening: "Four MPs at 1922 Committee critical of Andrew Mitchell – Andrew Percy, James Duddridge, Ann Main, Sarah Wollaston. 12-15 backed him." I am told that the difference of view was more 50-50 than three or four to one. (Memories don't always tally, as […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Ring, ring. Ring, ring. It's a senior source from the 1922 Committee's Executive on the phone, denouncing the Telegraph's story about a "showdown" between the '22 and Andrew Mitchell. The paper reports that the '22 "will meet to discuss any concerns they have over Mr Mitchell, and other issues, […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. An intriguing report in the Independent on Sunday today contains some pretty positive news – and some pretty awful news. We are told that details of an agreement on the referendum for Scottish independence will be announced in the next few days. The "Scottish Government" and the Government have […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Cardiff Councillor Craig Williams has been selected as the Conservative candidate for the Cardiff South and Penarth by-election, which will be held in November to replace Labour MP Alun Michael, who will contest the region's Police and Crime Commissioner election. Cllr Williams, has represented the Pentyrch division since 2008, and […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. There are a number of refreshing points about this parliament. The fact that it has seen the most rebellious Conservative parliamentary party for many decades, for example, or the fact it is giving more power to backbenchers to question members of the executive. There is one trend which is […]
By Peter HoskinFollow Peter on Twitter Our Parliamentarians are back in town — and, boy, don’t we know it. There have been two rather cranky, yet noteworthy, Q&A sessions in the Commons today. The first featured Michael Gove, and can be watched in its entirety here. The Education Secretary repeated the main points from his Today […]
By Peter HoskinFollow Peter on Twitter It may not normally be part of your diet, but the latest issue of the New Statesman contains some tasty morsels for the political glutton. There’s a useful analysis of the Miliband and Balls axis by Rafael Behr; a flat-out brilliant article about political cartooning by Helen Lewis; and an […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter As a former broadsheet Comment editor, I over-estimate the importance of comment pages, both on paper and online. Since the blogs, such as this one, now compete with them, fewer people read them – especially since the rise of the paywall. Then there's TV. Then there's Twitter. Then there's […]