It’s comforting for leaders to imagine that they can either have a direct line to voters or that they can let their actions speak for themselves – but it’s a fallacy.
What took place yesterday looks less like peers hunkering down for a fight than preparing, after a show of defiance, to run up the white flag.
Without that difference, Brexit would not have happened.
The Conservative rebel, AKA Douglas Hogg, argued that a unilateral guarantee would grant the Government the moral high ground.
He warns peers against exceeding their role by treating the Bill like a Christmas tree, to which they want to add baubles.
Yes, our new trade department has expanded its Trade Policy Group fourfold. But it is seen to lack the experience that American negotiators possess in abundance.
Also: Jones wants to turn Britain into a ‘mini-EU’; Ulster goes to the polls tomorrow; and Khan lands himself in hot water with Scottish nationalists.
Whether or not we like the choice American voters made, we should respect it.
Charged with managing Whitehall, trouble-shooting, clocking Sturgeon, and preparing government for Brexit, his workload would make lesser mortals crumble.
We have a head start but must keep updating the ways we defend creative products.
The first piece in our mini-series on reducing the deficit explores ideas from addressing ‘grey welfare’ to closing Whitehall departments.
He also addresses the question of the Northern Irish border and tariff-free trade with the Republic of Ireland.
It’s always tempting for politicians to outsource important decisions. But it doesn’t work.
The current tax regime levies much higher taxes on one of Britain’s most important exports than on other forms of alcohol.
The EU’s approach suffers from significant shortcomings.