A Tribute to President George H W Bush
- 1 Dec 2018
It was sad to learn of the death of President George H W Bush this morning, but what a life he had led. I never felt he got the recognition he deserved while alive, so let’s hope that’s corrected in the many obituaries which will appear over the next few hours and days. The...
In Conversation with Jacqui Smith... Ten Years Ago
- 29 Nov 2018
I first met Jacqui Smith more than ten years ago at a Foreign Office event which she was addressing. I was writing a profile of the then Foreign Secretary David Miliband so was spending the afternoon with him. After her speech he beckoned me over an introduced me to her. Havin...
Tory MPs Go To War Over John Hayes 'Utter Cock' Knighthood
- 24 Nov 2018
It’s no secret that the parliamentary Conservative Party is riven with splits over Europe, but when Tory MPs start laughing uncontrollably about government decisions and taking little notice of government whips, you know it is a government in trouble. Yesterday Downing Stre...
Tory Rebels Need to Bide Their Time Before Toppling Mrs May
- 19 Nov 2018
The Germans have a phrase ‘Immer mit der Ruhe’. Keep calm at all times. The Conservative Party would do well to heed that message. Voters don’t like divided parties. The fall in support for the Tories in the weekend opinion polls is more to do with voters not liking the disuni...
The Incomparable Cliff Richard - Still Wired for Sound
- 17 Nov 2018
I have very few heroes. Margaret Thatcher is clearly one, but beyond one other person I can’t immediately think of any more. Who’s that other person? Well if you’ve clicked on this article because of the headline, you’ve probably guessed already. Yup, Cliff Richard. I suppo...
Theresa May is Trying to Deliver a Brexit That No One's Happy With, Apart From Her.
- 17 Nov 2018
A version of this article first appeared in Friday’s London Evening Standard It’s almost as if Alastair Campbell has been advising Theresa May. When Tony Blair was ever in political trouble, he adopted a “masochism” strategy. He let voters beat him up. And it worked. Yeste...
In Praise of Gyles Brandreth (And Listen to our Book Club Podcast!)
- 16 Nov 2018
I first met Gyles Brandreth around twenty years ago. He used to come to booklaunches at Politico’s and was always the life and soul of the party. He then invited me on to his Sunday afternoon arts show on LBC, when it used to be based at ITN in Grays Inn Road. I loved it. He’d...
If Not Theresa, Then Who?
- 15 Nov 2018
Theresa May has been written off many times before and each time bounced back. She is a woman of tremendous resilience, as she has proved many times over the past two years. She proved it again this morning in the Commons, putting in an outstanding performance in a chamber whi...
If It's a Choice Between This Awful Brexit Deal and Remaining in the EU, This is What I'd Do...
- 14 Nov 2018
I’ve been debating with myself since last night whether to write this, but in the end I have to, otherwise I become just as supine as those Cabinet ministers who will no doubt find yet another reason to cling onto their jobs today and not do what their consciences tell them th...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter 64: Herding the Brexit Cats
- 13 Nov 2018
Each Monday night on LBC we covene a panel to debate what we think is going to be one of the big issues of the week. Sometimes we have panellists that no-one has ever heard of. Sometimes we deliberately invite younger pundits. On Friday my producer, Sophie, and I agreed that B...
Remembrance Day: The Fascinating Reason Why World War One Ended At 11am
- 11 Nov 2018
On my way to pick up the Sunday papers I switched on the car radio to listen to Nigel Farage talking about the World War 1 Armistice. He was interviewing a descendant of Admiral Sir Rossalyn Wemyss, who was the senior British representative at the signing of the armistice 100 ...
The Tale of Clifford Norden - My Great Uncle Who Was Killed 12 Days Before The End of WW1
- 4 Nov 2018
October 31st was the hundreth anniversary of the death of my Great Uncle, Clifford Norden. I say, death, but what I really mean is it’s the 100th anniversary of the day he was killed in the First World War, only twelve days before the Armistice. I often wonder what might ha...
A Tribute to Audrey Barker 1927-2018
- 4 Nov 2018
I had some sad news when I woke up this morning. A good friend of mine, Audrey Barker, had died at the age of 91. I first met Audrey in 1985 when she became Conservative Party Agent in Norwich North. At the time, I had just left university and was working for the local MP, Pa...
A Short Term Idea to Help Mitigate the Housing Crisis
- 3 Nov 2018
On Cross Question this week, one of the panel came up with what I thought was a very interesting idea in response to the difficulties young people are finding in getting on the housing ladder. Lance Forman is MD of H Forman & Sons, a high end smoked salmon supplier base...
Alison Saunders - Good Riddance To The Worst DPP in Living Memory
- 3 Nov 2018
When I was at Biteback I published four books by people who had been victims of withchunts in the field of child sex abuse allegations by the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service - Paul Gambaccini, Harvey Proctor, Simon Warr and Jeremy Clifford. Today the Daily Mail reveal...
The Loan Charge Scandal: Why The Treasury Must Embark on a U-turn
- 2 Nov 2018
This article first appeared in this week’s edition of The Spectator You probably haven’t heard of the Loan Charge. I hadn’t until a couple of months ago when I told listeners of my LBC radio show that I would soon be interviewing Mel Stride, the Financial Secretary to the Tre...
Honourable Ladies: I'm Looking For Some Women Writers...
- 1 Nov 2018
As you may know, in September Jacqui Smith and I published the first volume of HONOURABLE LADIES, a collection of 168 biographical essays of female MPs elected between 1918 and 1996. Jacqui and I are now commissioning essays for Volume 2, featuring all women MPs elected bet...
Why Tracey Crouch Must Not Resign & Why Philip Hammond Is Wrong on FOBTs
- 1 Nov 2018
UPDATE 5.30pm: Tracey has now resigned from the government, so that makes this article a bit redundant now! Just when you think this government can’t get any more incompetent, they prove to you that they can. And no, I’m not talking about Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes’s...
When it Comes to Injunctons, Sunlight is the Best Form of Disinfectant
- 25 Oct 2018
The rumour mills have been busy over the last two days, ever since the Telegraph were forced by an injunction to abandon printing their story alleging sexual harassment, racist remarks and bullying against a prominent businessman. Instead they printed the allegations on their ...
Are You or Have You Ever Been a Bisexual?
- 23 Oct 2018
Inside the mind of every bisexual is a gay man struggling to get out. At least, that’s the view of many. It’s a widely held view that bisexuals are people who either want the best of both worlds, or, who are still too scared to embrace their inner gayness because they are on h...