There has been much talk of plots, rumour and conspiracy surrounding UKIP over the past few days. The excitement stemmed from Andre Walker’s report on Breitbart London claiming “senior members of UKIP are campaigning behind the scenes to have Patrick
Nigel Farage’s comments confirming UKIP would “absolutely” support a Labour government on a confidence and supply basis – in return for an EU referendum – were seized on by the party’s opponents yesterday. Certainly it was a strategic error for
On Wednesday it was the bonfire night rebellion, by the weekend it was the Remembrance Sunday coup. Labour’s abortive attempt to cave in the head of its leader, metaphorically at least, apparently had 20 Shadow ministers ready to call for
Read the Guardian this morning and you will discover a new study by economists at University College London claims that European migrants give Britain a £20 billion net gain, paying far more in tax than they take in benefits. Read
Those wishing to understand British politics ahead of next year’s General Election could do worse than consider the following two statistics. First, according to the current trend of polls, the combined vote share of the main two parties is lower
Today’s Ipsos Mori poll envisaging electoral wipeout for Labour next year has reduced pessimistic party figures to gallows humour. If the general election was tomorrow, the poll says, Labour would have just four MPs left north of the border. Senior
Compare and contrast the following two statements from Westminster politicians over the last few weeks: “I answer first, foremost and last to you, you are my boss, I will not let you down.” “I’m very clear about who the boss
This morning’s ComRes poll in Rochester and Strood has UKIP defector Mark Reckless 13 points ahead of the Tories in the constituency. Conservative HQ had pretty much openly priced in defeat in Clacton two weeks ago, but losing again on
When David Cameron promised last week that he would have “one last go” at securing curbs on immigration from within the European Union, he knew his rhetoric stood little chance of success. Days later, the President of the European Commission
The UKIP fox, as they love to tell us, is well and truly in the Westminster hen house. Of course there is one group of people for whom killing foxes is a favourite pastime: Tories. It will not be an
A few months ago, UKIP’s website offered a one line description of itself as “a libertarian, non-racist party seeking withdrawal from the European Union”. At some point between then and now, that description changed. It now reads: “UKIP is a
“A funeral”, “a wake”, “awful”, “dead”. These are some of the words used by attendees to describe Labour’s annual conference last week. That is Labour, the party which barring a miracle will sweep to power at next year’s general election
On Sunday night, Ed Miliband stood on a stage in front of a crowded room alongside the black flag of Islamic State. A few minutes later, he was photographed next to a picture of Joseph Stalin. The Labour leader was
Whichever way Scotland votes on Thursday, the consequences for English politics are just as interesting as what might happen north of the border. A Yes vote promises initial constitutional anarchy, but the long-term political impact at Westminster would be relatively
“Scottish independence means [a] huge black eye for [the] whole political establishment, especially Cameron and Miliband” tweeted Rupert Murdoch this weekend, clearly enjoying baiting both his perennial detractors on the left and the British Conservative leadership he has come to
It is difficult to envy David Cameron. The first prime minister in recent memory to suffer the ignominy of governing in coalition, Cameron’s chance of achieving a Conservative majority at the second time of asking are almost nil. The odds
Overshadowed by the noisy departure of Baroness Warsi, another recently liberated Conservative is causing problems for his former boss, albeit in a slightly more subtle manner. While Warsi’s weapon of choice was the Sunday Times front page, Owen Paterson’s chosen
Bookmakers, pollsters and increasingly Conservative commentators are coming to the conclusion that the Tories are going to be out of office in nine months’ time. Yet despite almost everything pointing to a Tory defeat at next year’s general election, the
David Ruffley, the Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds, last night announced that he would be standing down at next year’s general election. Ruffley has capitulated to mounting pressure and demands for his resignation since it emerged he had accepted
John Bercow has had a rather difficult year. Twelve months ago, the Speaker of the House of Commons suffered public humiliation at the hands of Conservative MPs, who passed to the press physical evidence of so-called “Bollocked By Bercow” badges
Last weekend Michael Gove was down in Portsmouth. Just two days earlier he had seen more than a fifth of his schools closed by strikes, but the then Education Secretary found the time to lead a road trip of young
We are all lizards now. Or at least, if you are a journalist working in Westminster, that’s what it seems most of the internet thinks this week. Since the alleged establishment paedophile ring was blown open over the weekend, culminating
Details of the government’s “grand plan” to merge National Insurance (NI) and Income Tax were briefed out this weekend. Yesterday, Downing Street played down the speculation, with the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesperson telling journalists the reports were “entirely news to
“There’s a strange strain of bullying going on at the moment, of Ed. If I took a photograph of you eating a sandwich I could make you look like a muppet if I wanted to, there is something rather distasteful
In the days before the last cabinet reshuffle, there were a number Conservative Party MPs absolutely convinced that they were in line for a promotion. “Have you heard anything?” one texted me hopefully, chancing that someone in his phonebook would
