Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: This unbrushed, unkempt PM reckons he can beat the Nats

Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: This unbrushed, unkempt PM reckons he can beat the Nats

“I have the confidence to do things my own way,” Boris Johnson’s hair declared. It was this week messier than ever: unbrushed, unkempt, uncut, as if the Prime Minister had washed it and fallen asleep with it in a wet and tangled mess, so that when he awoke it would stick out in every direction….

Ranil Jayawardena: A strong trading partnership with India will be a central feature of Global Britain

Ranil Jayawardena: A strong trading partnership with India will be a central feature of Global Britain

Ranil Jayawardena is Minister for International Trade, and is MP for North East Hampshire. Benjamin Disraeli once said that the secrets to success in politics were to “be amusing, never [to] tell unkind stories and above all, never [to] tell long ones.” I will make sure to abide by the latter two rules here, though…

Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chair of UK Research & Innovation – and more

Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chair of UK Research & Innovation – and more

Eight years ago, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that “in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories”. It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party, compared to less than a third for the Conservatives. Despite the selection of…

Newslinks for Wednesday 10th February 2021

Newslinks for Wednesday 10th February 2021

Coronavirus 1) Imprisonment threatened for those who lie about holiday destination to evade quarantine “Families who lie about going on holiday to destinations such as Portugal face up to 10 years in prison – longer than the maximum sentence for sex offences with children or violent firearms crimes. On Tuesday, Matt Hancock announced that anyone…

Emily Carver: An online sales tax would be a clear-cut case of levelling down

Emily Carver: An online sales tax would be a clear-cut case of levelling down

Emily Carver is Media Manager at the Institute of Economic Affairs.  In recent months, my local high street has seen two notable casualties: an independent bookshop and a boutique toy shop. Both had been trading for over 50 years. For their owners, as for many small businesses across the country, the cost of stop-start-stop again…

John Macdonald: Are the Tories becoming the party of high taxes and picking industrial winners?

John Macdonald: Are the Tories becoming the party of high taxes and picking industrial winners?

John Macdonald is the Head of Government Affairs at the Adam Smith Institute. The idea that British state should pursue an “industrial strategy” was a key feature of the Mayite years. But it has received a substantial boost as a result of the pandemic. Last week, Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng announced that, now free from…

6 Takeaways From Opening Arguments in Trump’s Senate Trial
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6 Takeaways From Opening Arguments in Trump’s Senate Trial

The historic opening day of the first Senate impeachment trial of a former president was fiery and emotional in some moments.  Democrat House managers and lawyers for former President Donald Trump primarily clashed over the constitutionality of trying a private citizen who was impeached seven days before his term as president expired.  The House impeached…

Biden Firing Nearly All Trump-Appointed US Attorneys, but Keeping 2 Key Prosecutors in Place
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Biden Firing Nearly All Trump-Appointed US Attorneys, but Keeping 2 Key Prosecutors in Place

President Joe Biden will ask nearly all Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys to tender their resignations as early as Tuesday, while allowing two federal prosecutors to continue their politically-charged investigations. According to CNN and other news outlets, Biden will ask for resignations of 55 of the 56 U.S. attorneys currently in office. David C. Weiss, the U.S….

Laura Blumenthal: The University of Leicester’s changes aren’t woke. They’re about driving down standards to save money

Laura Blumenthal: The University of Leicester’s changes aren’t woke. They’re about driving down standards to save money

Laura Blumenthal is a Wokingham Borough councillor. Let’s get real. What 17-year-old loves Medieval literature? Apparently, the era’s not a huge pull to the University of Leicester’s English degree. What a shocker. The Midlands institution has found itself in hot water as news of its plans to axe Chaucer, English Language and Medieval literature has…