Victory for Ben Houchen in Tees Valley won’t save Rishi Sunak
The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, subscribe here and never miss this daily briefing. Millions of voters across England and Wales, ID at the ready, head to the polls for the final time today before the general election. Below are the offices they will be electing representatives to — and which Britain’s political […]
Week-in-Review: Humza Yousaf’s political doom loop mirrors that of Rishi Sunak
British politics boasts a curious surplus of beleaguered premiers leading tailspinning governments. The Westminster case is well-rehearsed: rolling stories of sleaze, factional conquests and electoral comeuppance have trapped Rishi Sunak within a cycle of steady political disintegration. Conservative parliamentarians — Sunak acolyte and antagonist alike — view the upcoming election with a strengthening sense of […]
A bitter reckoning for Rishi Sunak: what’s at stake in the May 2 local elections?
Recent days have borne witness to a subtle shift in Rishi Sunak’s politics. A punchy performance at prime minister’s questions last week preceded a declaration of war against “sick note culture”; on Monday, the PM stood firm ahead of further Rwanda Bill ping-pong — forcing MPs and peers to work late into the night to […]
Sunak declares ‘turning point in European security’ — PM’s defence spending speech in full
Rishi Sunak has announced that the UK will increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030 at a press conference in Warsaw, Poland. Sunak said: “We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5 per cent of GDP, by 2030. That starts today, and rises steadily in each and every […]
What Rwanda victory means for Rishi Sunak
The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, subscribe here and never miss this daily briefing. The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill finally cleared parliament just after midnight, ending a lengthy showdown between the House of Commons and House of Lords. The bill will now go for royal assent — the final step […]
Sunak pledge tracker. Is the PM delivering on his ‘priorities’?
After a difficult first few months as prime minister, Rishi Sunak undertook in January last year to define his time in Downing Street in the clearest possible terms with “five pledges”. He called on the doubting public to “trust” him as he rolled out five shiny new pre-election pledges: place your faith in me and […]
Sunak’s Rwanda gamble comes with serious risks
The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, subscribe here and never miss this daily briefing. Five months after Rishi Sunak first unveiled the Safety of Rwanda Bill as a response to the Supreme Court’s ruling against the full deportation scheme, today is the day the controversial legislation is expected to finally clear parliament. More […]
Rwanda Bill: Rishi Sunak vows deportation flights will begin in ’10 to 12 weeks’
Rishi Sunak has held a press conference in No 10 Downing Street today, ahead of crunch votes on the Rwanda bill this afternoon and likely this evening. Urging peers to allow the legislation to complete its passage through parliament, the prime minister warned that his political opponents “have used every trick in the book to […]
Week-in-Review: Conservative splits and sleaze spell Major doom for Rishi Sunak
Consider this take on former prime minister John Major’s beleaguered premiership, reportedly written as the 1997 general election results rolled in: “Nobody elects a divided party” or rewards “weak leadership, sleaze [and] a poorly run campaign”. In short, so bereft had the Conservative Party become of unity and purpose, John Major deserved to fail in […]
PMQs verdict: Rishi Sunak finally distances himself from Liz Truss
It was little surprise that Keir Starmer focussed his questioning on the return of Liz Truss at PMQs this afternoon. The former prime minister’s publicity tour for her new treatise, Ten Years to Save the West, has aligned perfectly with parliament’s return post-recess — and Labour has taken advantage. Yesterday, Labour’s chief attack dog Jonathan […]
