Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Johnson may have no right to feel confident, but for some reason he does
In this battle between optimism and pessimism, hope and fear, faith and scepticism, Starmer found it hard to sow seeds of negativity.
King of the North?
Rob Stark meets a bloody end in Game of Thrones. But he won every battle he fought first – and the Greater Manchester Mayor is following his example.
Pressure rises on Ministers to publish assessments of the impact of lockdowns, restrictions – and Covid itself
We urged the Government last week to do so. Others are also on the case – and the Daily Mail this morning publishes its own findings.
The new testing plan that Johnson believes will help him control the virus – and win back the support of Conservative MPs
Downing Street itself has been driving the moonshot, working with scientists, laboratories, companies and deliverers: a new operational system, in short.
The EU trade talks. Whether there’s a deal or not, we will be out of transition soon. Ministers should be ready to make the most of it.
The Government should be mulling some quick Brexit wins come the New Year – ways of using freedoms that we don’t have during implementation.
The Peter Pan-demic
Economic crises have infantilised multiple generations. Our leaders need to give them hope.
‘We need to talk about the Union’: An inside look at the new group of Conservative MPs fighting for Britain
The 70-strong Conservative Union Research Group wants to support the Government’s mission to strengthen the United Kingdom.
Germany enters a critical stage – as Europe increasingly converges in its Covid-19 response
From curfews to alcohol bans, leaders across the continent are increasingly unified in their choice of measures.
Three actions that Ministers must take if we’re to live without fear. Or else they and we will be lost.
If the public conversation about lives and livelihoods doesn’t change, we risk being trapped in semi-lockdown semi-permanently.
Sweden. Once the outlier. But a new localised approach brings it closer to other countries.
The country has been used to debate the merits of a more hawkish approach. But it has become cautious in recent times.
Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Starmer’s pessimism enables Johnson to harness the power of wishful thinking
The PM sounded liberated as he defied the grim official wisdom for which the Leader of the Opposition has become chief spokesman.
Starmer knows that a circuit breaker wouldn’t stop the virus – but doesn’t care
He thinks it’s worth exposing himself to fire in order to move in for the kill both in Parliament and outside it.
After my night out on Saturday, I’m even more convinced that the 10pm curfew won’t work
It is one example of a policy which sounds sensible in theory, but is having some adverse practical effects.
The Government is losing what control over the politics of the virus it has left
Johnson is being squeezed between dissenting local authorities, an increasingly divided Cabinet – and fundamental problems with test and trace.
As Tory MPs in the north lobby for their constituents amidst lockdowns and restrictions, the Northern Research Group is born
The smashing of the Red Wall and the challenge of the virus are driving Conservative backbenchers to band together formally.