News and Opinion

The health secretary has struggled to say whether the UK will continue to receive medicines and medical equipment without disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Appearing on the LBC’s Call the Cabinet show, Matt Hancock insisted the government had plans in place to shore up flow of medical equipment into Britain after Brexit. […]

In a move set to further embarrass the Westminster government over its handling of coronavirus, Nicola Sturgeon’s government is set to unveil a contact tracing phone app which the UK government had promised back in May. A much-anticipated smartphone app was originally set to be rolled out by the Tory government earlier this year to […]

Environment secretary George Eustice has denied that Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was not ‘oven ready’, saying that they are attempting to tie up ‘loose ends’ surrounding the agreement. Appearing on the Today programme, Eustice explained: ‘The deal was always very clear, it had the Northern Ireland protocol, it set out the arrangements that would prevent […]

Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan has called Boris Johnson a ‘gutless weasel’ for comments he made about press freedom after he continues to dodge the television programme. Morgan, who co-hosts the breakfast show on ITV, reminded Johnson the last time a government minister appeared on his show was 132 days ago. The prime minister issued […]

Dominic Raab has managed to snooker himself in a live television interview after claiming the government could ignore former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott’s trade advice. The foreign secretary joined ministers in suggesting that Abbott’s misogynistic, homophobic and climate-denial views should be ignored, because he is considered an expert on trade. Appearing on Sophy Ridge […]

Boris Johnson and his Tory ‘charlatans’ have been accused of a ‘treacherous betrayal’ by political leaders after reports the government proposes ripping up the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. In reports a government spokesman appeared to confirm, Johnson is reportedly planning new legislation that would override key parts of the agreement – the treaty that sealed Britain’s […]

Boris Johnson is said to be looking to ‘rip up’ parts of the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU and to override key areas of Brexit already agreed with the bloc. In reports a government spokesman appeared to confirm, Johnson also plans to give Brussels a five-week deadline to agree fresh trade terms or otherwise call […]

A Brexiteer politician has been mocked after claiming Tory Brexiteers were bound by the last parliament in the House of Commons – suggesting it was the fault of Remainers the Commons had backed the Withdrawal Agreement. Mark Reckless, a former Tory MP and the leader of the Brexit Party in the Welsh parliament, laid the […]

A former Tory minister has questioned Boris Johnson’s election commitment to ‘unite our society and country’, saying the Brexiteers are not interested in uniting the nation ahead of Brexit. Ed Vaizey, a minister in David Cameron’s cabinet between 2010 and 2016, said the Brexit referendum result had been too close to justify a hard Brexit. […]

Downing Street has said new legislation to be tabled this week is intended to provide ‘limited clarifications’ to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement to protect the Northern Ireland peace agreement. The prime minister’s official spokesman said the government was continuing to work with the EU to resolve the ‘outstanding issues’ relating to the Northern Ireland protocol […]

There are compelling reasons to get people back to schools and workplaces. But it requires more attention to detail and less bullying and bluster than we have seen thus far, says LIZ GERARD. That’s it. Summer’s over. Parliament is back in session. The kids are back at school. And you laptop slackers had jolly well […]

There have been fresh concerns raised over the appointment of former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott to the UK Board of Trade after claims of a conflict of interest. Abbott’s appointment as an adviser was overshadowed by fierce reaction from some quarters, including accusations of the politician holding misogynistic and homophobic views and an outdated […]

Ed Davey has attempted to clarity his party’s position on Brexit, saying that he does not anticipate the public will want to ‘revisit’ the debate in ‘two or three years time’. The leader of the Liberal Democrats had aggrieved some of the most pro-European supporters in his party by appearing to rule out a rejoin […]

Boris Johnson’s most senior advisers only see a 30% to 40% chance of striking a Brexit trade deal with the European Union, despite claiming he had an ‘oven-ready’ deal during the general election. James Forsyth, political editor of The Spectator and Times columnist, wrote: ‘The chances of a Brexit deal have receded significantly over the […]

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has urged the EU to treat the UK fairly in the final stages of Brexit trade negotiations with the EU. Raab was responding to reports that claimed Downing Street believed there was just a 30% to 40% chance of a Brexit trade deal. He told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday […]

Simon Case, the government’s new cabinet secretary, is under pressure to publish the long-awaited report on allegations surrounding home secretary Priti Patel and bullying. The Financial Times reports that the sensitive report, that follows an investigation launched in March, had been kept secret by Downing Street due to its findings and the prime minister’s support […]

Boris Johnson was reportedly left ‘furious’ about Keir Starmer at last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) and has called on his party to step up the attacks on the leader of the opposition. The Observer reports a well-placed source claiming that Johnson had been angered by Starmer’s call for the prime minister to withdraw his […]

Britain’s billionaires have seen their fortunes soar since lockdown, despite the economy entering recession, and the Treasury reportedly scrapping plans for a minimum wage rise next year. The value of fortunes for 53 of the UK’s billionaires leapt by 14.3% (£26.3 billion) to approximately £211 billion over the past six months, data from Forbes shows. […]

Pro-migrant activists have taken their stand against the far-right in Dover by holding a rally in support of refugees. Pro-migrant supporters during a ‘solidarity stand’ in Dover’s Market Square in support of the refugees crossing the Channel to Kent. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA. – Credit: PA The campaigners took a peaceful stance as police clashed with […]

Extinction Rebellion protesters have blockaded major printing presses to stop a range of newspapers reaching news stands. More than 100 protesters used vehicles to block roads outside the printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool. The printing presses publish Rupert Murdoch titles including The Sun, The Times, The Sun on Sunday and The […]

Former British Ambassador to the US Lord Darroch told Boris Johnson he partly holds the prime minister responsible for his resignation from his Washington post. Darroch resigned following the leaking of a cable in which the ambassador said Donald Trump was ‘inept’ as president. Johnson, who was then running for the Conservative leadership, repeatedly refused […]

Far-right, anti-migrant protesters have clashed with police and blocked roads in Dover. Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate in Dover against immigration and the journeys made by refugees crossing the Channel to Kent. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA. – Credit: PA Rival groups have assembled in Dover to demonstrate over the arrival of thousands of migrants in small boats. Traffic […]

Even if Boris Johnson was to resign at the end of the year, it will be six months too late, writes JULIAN SELF. Boris Johnson is nominally the leader of the government (until February, at least, according to his chief advisor’s dad) but it is surely becoming abundantly clear to everybody that he only ever […]

Controversial figure Tony Abbott has been appointed to the Board of Trade, despite critics arguing the former Australian prime minister was not suitable to be a government trade adviser. Critics raised numerous concerns over allegations against the 62-year-old, including his climate change scepticism and belief that coronavirus restrictions should be lifted. But Boris Johnson defended […]

Sir Ed Davey, who was elected as leader of the Lib Dems last week, has said the party is in ‘listening mode’ over its policies. The MP for Surbiton in Surrey said the arch-Remain party that campaigned for a second referendum is not arguing to re-join the EU but to be closer to Europe. The […]

Tory MPs have reportedly breached social distancing rules in parliament with a meeting of the 1922 committee where Boris Johnson spoke. The prime minister has faced questions over whether he gave a speech to at least 50 Conservatives in a parliament room marked for a maximum of 29 people to prevent the spread of coronavirus. […]

Boris Johnson has defended Tony Abbott as being a ‘guy who was elected by the people of the great liberal democratic nation of Australia’. Asked during a visit to Solihull about allegations the Australian former prime minister, who is set to receive a trade role, Johnson said: ‘There’s going to be an announcement I think […]

Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray has said he decided to ‘stay and fight’ for Labour after it was revealed he planned to defect to Change UK until a last-minute change of mind. A new book on Jeremy Corbyn’s time as Labour leader claims the Edinburgh South MP was on the brink of resigning from the […]

Boris Johnson has insisted ‘overwhelmingly the UK is proceeding as one’ with its coronavirus response. The comments come after transport minister Grant Shapps admitted there is ‘confusion’ over differing quarantine rules across the union. During his visit to Solihull, the prime minister said: ‘The reality is that different devolved administrations in the UK, Scotland, Wales […]

Labour peer Lord Robertson has said Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard standing down would help to change Labour’s fortunes in Scotland. The former defence secretary has joined other Labour peers who have signed a letter urging Mr Leonard to do what is best for the party and the country. It comes after four of his […]

British food businesses may be unable to continue selling to the EU and Northern Ireland after Brexit after Boris Johnson’s government missed a key deadline to advise on what rules need to be followed. Business Insider reports that the time for the government to advise on labelling rules to follow from the end of the […]

Health secretary Matt Hancock has been accused of hypocrisy after tweeting about LGBT inclusivity hours after defending the rumoured hiring by government of a homophobic politician. On Thursday Hancock appeared to dismiss concerns about former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott’s misogyny and homophobia ‘because he’s an expert in trade’. Abbott has previously said that he […]