Keith Simpson's Christmas Reading List
- 12 Dec 2017
By Keith Simpson MP Over the past few weeks as the EU (Withdrawal) Bill grinds its way slowly through the Chamber of the House of Commons it has been noticeable that many MPs take refuge in the library to read and to sleep. This litany will continue for many, many months. Ch...
Political Interviewing: It Shouldn't Be About Confrontation & Newslines - We're Shortchanging the Public
- 10 Dec 2017
This is an article I wrote for the Saturday edition of the ‘i’ newspaper on Saturday. It was published HERE. ‘It’s all about you, isn’t it?’ wrote the rather angry listener who texted my LBC radio show. ‘How dare you question the Prime Minister like that!’ How dare I, indeed....
ConHome Diary: Would You Like a '**** Jeremy Corbyn' T Shirt?
- 1 Dec 2017
Following his ill-judged retweets of three Britain First tweets, Donald Trump is now turning his ire onto Theresa May. He tweeted yesterday: “@Theresa_May don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive radical Islamic terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We a...
Interview with Boyz Magazine
- 1 Dec 2017
- Can you tell us about your career and the history of Biteback Publishing? I started Biteback in 2009 having sold my previous publishing company, Politico’s, in 2003. There seemed to be a gap in the market again for a niche political publisher so I decided to fill it. We p...
ConHome Diary: The Housing Minister Should Be In The Cabinet & Why Brexiteers Need to Up Their Game in Exposing Remain Lies
- 24 Nov 2017
Well that wasn’t exactly a knicker-gripping budget, was it? In a week’s time if you asked people if they could remember one measure announced in a budget, the abolition of stamp duty for first time buyers for properties under £300k is probably all that they will remember. Ther...
Settling the Account - A Tale of Davis & Barnier
- 23 Nov 2017
I was sent this earlier today. No doubt it’s doing the rounds, but it has a few echoes of truth, doesn’t it?! David Davis is at the golf club returning his locker key when Mr Barnier the membership secretary sees him. “Hello Mr Davis”, says Mr Barnier. “I’m sorry to hear you...
ConHome Diary: Have we Got Leaking Whips & Why I Have Been in Prison
- 17 Nov 2017
At the weekend I went to prison. Luckily only for a couple of hours, but it was an experience nonetheless. The only time I’d been inside a prison before was to visit someone who was serving 25 years for murder. He wanted to write a book when he came out. For various reasons it...
ConHome Diary: Not a Priti Week
- 10 Nov 2017
On a personal level it is always sad to see a political resignation. I’ve known Priti Patel for the best part of twenty years and she’s one of those people who by nature is an optimist. She always has a twinkle in her eye and is very good company. However, I’ve always thought ...
Watch: CNN Talk - Sutherland Springs & Guntrol
- 7 Nov 2017
This is a discussion on CNN Talk about the Sutherland Springs shootings and gun control. I’m on CNN Talk every Friday and Monday at noon on CNN International. Or you can watch it on Facebook Live.
For The Many - A New Weekly Podcast From LBC With Iain Dale & Jacqui Smith
- 4 Nov 2017
Back in March 2017, Jacqui Smith and I left the Sky News Paper Review, where we had established an on-screen partnership over five or six years. I covered the reasons for us leaving HERE. Since then, both of us have been inundated with people asking us when we’re comi...
Is Jeremy Corbyn a Reincarnation?
- 4 Nov 2017
Some friends of mine have just returned from a holiday in the Pyranees. They visited a prehistoric cave system, with stunning cave paintings inside. It was near Grotte de Niaux, south of Toulouse at the start of the Pyrenees before Andorra. They were looking at an exhibition a...
ConHome Diary: When Someone Sexually Harassed Me (Spoiler - It Wasn't An MP)
- 3 Nov 2017
There I was, minding my own business, when suddenly this man approached me. He stood in front of me and without so much as a by your leave, stuck his hand right down my trousers. Now, this happened a long time ago, and before you ask, no it wasn’t an MP. At least I don’t think...
ConHome Diary: The Overblown Reputation of Mark Carney, Why John Simpson Has Broken BBC Impartiality Rules & Feeling Sorry for Jared O'Mara
- 27 Oct 2017
John Simpson has never been one to shy away from his own sense of self-importance. After all, he single-handedly took Baghdad, I seem to remember. On Tuesday he decided he was a big enough name to totally ignore his employer’s guidelines and took to Twitter to denounce Brexit....
CNNTalk: Has the Spanish Government Overreacted to Catalan Independence?
- 23 Oct 2017
From today CNN Talk is going twice a week. Today we spent half an hour discussing the constitutional crisis in Catalonia. Enjoy! You can watch us on CNN International (Sky Channel 506) every Monday & Friday at noon, or on CNNI Facebook page.
ConHome Diary: Wotcha!
- 20 Oct 2017
If there is to be a reshuffle before the budget, expect it to happen next Monday. I’m not saying there will definitely be one next week, but if the Chancellor is to feature in it, surely it couldn’t happen within a month of the budget. Again, I’m not saying the Chancellor will...
New European: Interviewing Theresa May
- 17 Oct 2017
“I know how I would vote in a second referendum,” I said. “Exactly the same as I did last time. If I can say that, why can’t you?” That was the second of three attempts I made to get the Prime Minister to answer the question as to how she would vote in an EU referendum if one ...
Sunday Telegraph Column: Would a Reshuffle Solve Theresa May's Problems? (Answer: Probably Not)
- 15 Oct 2017
This is the full text of the article which appeared in today’s Sunday Telegraph Reshuffle fever is gripping Westminster, which is not unusual when a government looks as if it’s in trouble. However, a reshuffle rarely solves anything. There has only been one reshuffle in the l...
ConHome Diary: Interviewing the PM, Reshuffle Speculation & Corbyn's Momentum
- 13 Oct 2017
I think enough has been written over the last forty-eight hours about my phone-in with Theresa May on LBC. But here goes anyway. Firstly, all credit to her for doing it. She’s the first prime minister since Tony Blair to do a radio phone-in outside an election period. These th...
ICYMI: Watch My Theresa May Phone-in In Full
- 11 Oct 2017
This is the phone-in/interview that has made the front pages of the FT, Times, Guardian, Telegraph and City AM today.
ConHome Diary: A Strange Wednesday in Manchester
- 6 Oct 2017
It’s just gone midnight on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Normally I write this column on a Thursday morning, but given the day that’s just been gone, I thought I’d put pen to paper now rather than wait until the morning. It’s been one of the oddest days in party conference...