News and Opinion

It may lack the glitz of more renowned musical hubs, but in Stockton it’s the soul that counts says SOPHIA DEBOICK. While some places are synonymous with music industry glamour, others entirely lack mystique. Stockton-on-Tees’ claims to fame include the invention of the friction match in a chemist’s shop on its high street (the widest […]

Boris Johnson will become Donald Trump’s ‘poodle’ if the Tories win the election and take the UK out of the EU, the Lib Dems are warning. Chuka Umunna, the Liberal Democrats spokesman on foreign affairs, has used a speech to say that Johnson will become more reliant on the US president if the Conservatives are […]

A Conservative candidate has been caught on video setting up a fake interview with a friend who was made to appear as a genuine constituent. Lee Anderson, who is running for the Tories in the key marginal seat of Ashfield, was caught on video phoning a friend and saying: “I’m knocking at your door in […]

A Brexit Party candidate has admitted that no-one would ‘lose any sleep’ if Nigel Farage’s organisation disappeared. Harry Boparai, the candidate in Hayes and Harlington said that Farage had been forced to create the organisation, and that it did not matter if it did not exist if Brexit was sorted. He told This Is London: […]

A veteran Tory politician, who was an MP for 22 years, has savaged the party leader for being unable to deliver his promises and failing to turn up to battle. Keith Simpson, who was the Conservative MP for Mid-Norfolk until the election was called, appeared on the BBC’s Sunday Politics East to claim that age […]

The DUP could work with the Labour Party if there is a hung parliament, admits party leader Arlene Foster, but there is one catch. Foster reiterated her view that she could see no circumstance in which her party would support a minority Labour administration with Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister. But she acknowledged there were […]

She has steadfastly insisted that the Liberal Democrats could win the general election outright and form a majority government, despite laughs of derision from opponents. But now Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson has appeared to doubt her own conviction in her party’s chances of victory after admitting that the man she believes is not fit to […]

A new Brexit deal thrashed out by Labour could be the ‘most unloved, orphan offer ever’ because of the party’s unwillingness to commit to supporting leave or remain, television host Andrew Marr has suggested. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says he would not stay neutral in a referendum on a Labour Brexit deal, but does not […]

Sci-fi fan MITCH BENN on what his hero Douglas Adams would have to say about politics today Whoever came up with the expression “You must never meet your heroes; they’ll always disappoint you” had dreadful taste in heroes. I’ve been lucky enough to meet quite a few of my heroes over the years and by […]

LIZ GERARD on the jaw-dropping contortions being attempted by the prime minister’s supporters in the press Welcome to the Through the Looking Glass election. To a land that we are sure we have visited before, yet one that seems somehow back-to-front. Ah yes, of course we’ve been here before. Back in 2016 when we were […]

Labour could lose all but one of its seats in Scotland, with support dropping seven points in a poll, while Tory support looks relatively unhampered. The Panelbase study for the Sunday Times suggested that only Labour’s Ian Murray will be returned to the House of Commons. Murray, a frequent critic of leader Jeremy Corbyn, was […]

ALASTAIR CAMPBELL on what the UK could learn about strengthening the ‘quiet centre’ from Australia’s compulsory voting system. It was nice to escape the awfulness of the election for a few days, to head overseas for the wedding of Philip Gould’s daughter, Grace. As she was marrying an American, they chose neutral ground, Jamaica. There […]

JOHN KAMPFNER says the Liberal Democrat leader’s unequivocal Remain position may not be enough… she may need the politics to match the message What is the point of the Liberal Democrats? To ask the question is not to ridicule. Rather the reverse: It is only when it asks itself the question that the third party […]

In the UK, televised election debates are considered a fairly recent introduction. But, as Roger Domeneghetti explains, there were some short-lived earlier attempts, which become embroiled in all the same controversies as now When Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg took to the stage at Granada studios in April 2010, it was seen as […]

We have borrowed plenty of words from Greek – but they haven’t always kept quite the same meaning, says PETER TRUDGILL If you are on holiday in Greece or Cyprus, you may be unlucky enough to come across a sign hanging on the door of your hotel lift saying Ektós liturgías. Ektós is not necessarily […]

More than 300,000 people registered to vote in the general election on Friday in what is being reported as one of the biggest surge in pre-election registration in UK political history. Of the 300,000 who registered to vote on Friday, 200,000 were under-35s – with Labour likely to receive a boost as the party most […]

Lib Dem supporters have complained about the set-up of the Question Time leaders’ debate after the BBC confirmed the party had fewer supporters in the audience. Leader Jo Swinson faced limited support from the audience as she set out her position on Brexit and party policy. She faced criticism for her involvement in coalition with […]

Jeremy Corbyn has offered students a vision for ‘hope’ as he unveiled a youth manifesto pledging £1 billion investment and votes at 16. The Labour leader received huge applause when he told supporters at Loughborough University on Saturday of plans to end pay “discrimination” and give a £10 minimum wage to all. In an attempt […]

Jeremy Corbyn has defended his decision to remain ‘neutral’ in a second EU referendum, saying it is a sign of ‘strength and maturity’. The Labour leader came under fire after disclosing he would not take sides in the proposed public vote on a new Brexit deal which the party intends to negotiate with Brussels. The […]

The Conservative Party will resume planning for a no-deal Brexit after the general election, a senior minister in the Treasury has said. Comments from the secretary to the Treasury have confirmed fears that the UK could still crash out of the European Union without an agreement in December 2020. Rishi Sunak is a member of […]

Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised by the Lib Dems for ‘being like a referee at a football match’ with his views on Brexit. The Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Chuka Umunna said the leader of the opposition can’t be for saving the NHS while being against stopping Brexit. Umunna also said his party has not made […]

From marooned buses to hypocritical rock ‘n’ roll stars, test your mettle on the Brexit trivia of the week. Let us know how you get on by tweeting @TheNewEuropean.

A young audience member of the BBC’s Question Time election debate has slammed Boris Johnson for comments he and his ministers have made, which she said defined the ‘complete careless’ and ‘callousness’ of his government. In an emotional moment during the debate the girl tried to find the right words to define how upset and […]

The charismatic American businesswoman has proved herself a better performer than even her former friend Boris Johnson. MIA JANKOWICZ reports. History is filled with stories of beautiful women being tossed aside by powerful men, usually at great personal cost to themselves. However, the latest, Jennifer Arcuri, is refusing to play by those well-established rules. Here’s […]

Dominic Raab has been challenged over Islamophobia in an argument with a Labour frontbencher captured live on television. The foreign secretary faced up to shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald after the pair conducted a short interview with Sky News about the leaders’ Question Time debate. The pair pointd fingers in a clash as McDonald reprimanded […]

Brexiteer Dominic Raab appeared desperate to end the conversation with a food bank user when she challenged him about the cost of his weekly shop. The foreign secretary was at a local hustings when he was approached by a woman who quizzed him about a Tory promise to save low-paid workers money by raising the […]

Nicola Sturgeon has said she envisages a ‘less formal arrangement’ than a coalition with Labour to end austerity and stop Brexit as well as another independence referendum. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon takes pictures with supporters during a visit to Craig Boyd Hairdressing in Leven, Fife. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA Wire. – Credit: PA The SNP leader […]

Boris Johnson has once again refused to apologise for his comments made about gay men and Muslim women. Appearing on Question Time, Johnson said he had a “right to speak out” and told the studio audience to read his opinion pieces before criticising his remarks. He insisted he had never intended to cause “hurt or […]

Boris Johnson accused a Question Time audience member of peddling ‘Bermuda Triangle’ stuff when it came to claims about the Russian interference report the prime minister has refused to release. Johnson said that he decided “ages ago” not to release the report from the Intelligence and Security Committee as he was heckled by members of […]

Jo Swinson faced a gruelling reception during her appearance on a leaders’ special of BBC Question Time. https://twitter.com/bbcquestiontime/status/1197975739280302081 The Liberal Democrat will grilled over her record as a minister in the coalition government which saw her voting in favour of “harsh and uncaring” benefit cuts including the bedroom tax. Swinson admitted the Liberal Democrats “didn’t […]

It was an opportunity for four of the political party leaders to face the public and set out their vision, but who do you think performed the best? As we wait for verdicts from the pollsters we’re asking for readers to give their perspectives on tonight’s performances. Who do you think was the overall winner […]

Twitter was full of commentary as Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson, Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon answered questions from the public on BBC Question Time. https://twitter.com/MrJRan/status/1197955099076833280 We’ve compiled some of the best responses as the debate took place… https://twitter.com/richardosman/status/1197955081397776384 Why are we talking about Evo Morales #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/NtbwAQA3AR— Tony (@AntMelia94) November 22, 2019 https://twitter.com/JazzTehara/status/1197956888702439425 https://twitter.com/UmaarKazmi/status/1197957204860710912 https://twitter.com/mstrdrmz/status/1197959375173935105 […]