Opinion
No one can really have confidence in this Government
Faith is a fickle thing in politics, but few of a sound mind could say they have confidence in this Government anymore. In the space of just a month the Conservatives have faced two confidence votes, been found in contempt of parliament for the first time ever and lost a meaningful vote on their flagship policy by the biggest margin in history. The government also managed to award a $17.5 million contract to provide ferry services to a company with...
It’s time for May to face up to the white elephant in the room
Theresa May was left staring into the abyss last night after more than two-thirds of MPs voted against her Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union. It was an unprecedented moment in British political history and one that leaves the Prime Minister in a precarious position. Even if she manages to survive today's no confidence vote - the second tabled in just over a month - she will be left trying to unite the same divided party in order to deliver...
Brexit’s radical agenda should horrify conservatives
What exactly is so conservative about Brexit? That’s ‘small c’ conservative. And it’s a question that’s rarely been asked over the last three years. Most people, on both sides of the debate, seem to take for granted that conservatives are and ought to be in favour of leaving the European Union. This has led to extraordinary attacks on ‘big c’ Conservatives like Anna Soubry, whose opposition to Brexit has been painted as a betrayal of Tory values. But is that...
It’s time to bust the biggest Brexit myth – that the UK holds all of the cards
Ever since the campaign to leave the European Union began the British public have been subjected to a barrage of fabrications, myths and downright falsehoods in a bid to drum-up anti-EU sentiment. Misinformation has become almost synonymous with the Leave Campaign, whose own director even admitted that they won by lying to the public. They lied about the NHS, they said striking a free-trade deal with the EU will be “the easiest thing in human history”, they fuelled anti-immigrant rhetoric...
I wouldn’t trust this government with running a bath, let alone the Brexit process
"I wouldn't trust you running a bath, let alone a fucking restaurant!" Gordon Ramsay once yelled at a restaurant manager on Kitchen Nightmares. With a matter of months left until Britain exits the European Union it is hard not to think of the Brexit process in the same light. If this was a restaurant it would be in dire straits. The previous owners have run away, the expensive ad campaigns have been widely discredited and staff and owners are constantly...
Exposed: Far right attempts to hijack Brexit debate threaten to turn violent
HOPE not hate has been exposing the coordinated attempt by far-right activists to hijack the Brexit debate to spread hate and division. MPs such as Anna Soubry and journalists such as Kay Burley from Sky News as well as Guardian columnist Owen Jones have been targeted for harassment, intimidation and abuse by a hardcore element of far-right ‘yellow vest’ protesters outside Parliament, frequently using terms such as ‘traitor’ (echoing language used by Jo Cox’s killer Thomas Mair). Based on messages shared...
The London fireworks were not political – they were a much-needed expression of empathy
Sadiq Khan has faced a backlash from Brexiteers who accused him of 'politicising' London's New Year's fireworks display after the London Eye was lit up to look like an EU flag. As over 100,000 revellers watched the capital’s New Year’s Eve firework celebrations the London Mayor said the theme was “London is open” as the phrase was uttered in different European languages. He said it should "send a message of support to more than one million EU citizens who call London...
Reversing Brexit will be a dangerous moment for the UK
There is now a realistic possibility that the UK will not leave the European Union. Talks are already under way to extend the Article 50 deadline. An extension can only mean one thing: a second referendum. EU leaders will not extend the deadline to allow for renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement. There will be no new agreement, despite what hard line Brexiteers claim. Polling shows a decisive shift in public opinion away from Brexit. The reality of this act of...
Conservatives use refugees as political pawns ahead of crucial Brexit period
The Conservatives have been accused of framing a migrant crisis in order to “whip up fear” before the Brexit vote after Sajid Javid declared a “major incident” in response to a handful of small channel crossings this Christmas. The Home Secretary was said to have borrowed moves straight from Donald Trump’s playbook as news cameras turned their attention to the desperate struggles of refugees in order to create the illusion of an emergency situation. “Make no mistake”, Labour MP David...