A new poll has found that Labour has over-taken the Conservatives in the country’s 100 most rural seats. Deep England is ailing, and holds the Government responsible.
A remarkable amount has been achieved. Often against the odds and in the face of adversity. And certainly in circumstances far less benign than those faced by New Labour.
Kemi Badenoch’s trip last Friday, where she announced upcoming negotiations, marked what has the potential to be a strategic leap forward – especially if the FTA can be expanded to include services, digital, and data.
Those who claim the Conservatives would benefit from a spell in opposition to ‘rest and detox’ are misguided. My first nine years in Parliament were spent in opposition, and it was a frustrating experience.
Governments who want to set out a clear vision for their electorates need to have an accessible story that explains their direction, aims and values. Here are some core conservative beliefs with which to start.
Brexit is neither the source of nor the solution to Britain’s economic ills. Current rows over trade flows simply produce a lot of heat and very little light.
“I am proud to be the first British Asian Prime Minister, but you know what…I’m even prouder that it’s just not a big deal.”
Fortunately, there are plenty of half-completed measures ministers could see through in time for the next election, from recognising product standards to locking in new trade deals.
Sunak is uninterested in rushing a deal just to have a tangible “Brexit benefit”. There will be no Johnsonian pledges of a deal by Diwali.
We might not rejoin, but the political momentum is now with those seeking a closer relationship. From a Brexiteer perspective, Johnson is sounding rather complacent.
Far from being a climbdown, the Government’s announcement about the CE mark could be the springboard for a unilateral-recognition revolution.
One should not be shy of admitting that any major short-term gains from our accession are primarily political. We already have trade agreements with nine of the current eleven members.
if Delhi won’t budge on Visas or the restoration of colonial treasures, the British team must be willing to walk away. Failing to do so would be disastrous.
The Edinburgh Reforms, changes in procurement rules, the UK’s accession into CPTPP, avoiding a £191 billion contribution to the EU’s “Stimulus Fund”. All these are ignored by a remainer Quango guilty of confirmation bias.
The EU will not disappear: it will always be our closest and largest trading partner, so we will always have to negotiate with it. The easiest way of negotiating with the EU is as a leader from within rather than as a supplicant from outside.