Conservative Leadership Contest: Runners, Riders, Dark Horses and Non-Runners
- 28 Mar 2019
Back in December I identified 36 potential Conservative leadership candidates - or rather 36 people who had at some point indicated they might run, or would be considered by others to be leadership contenders. Let's look at who the runners and riders would be now. DEFINITE...
LISTEN: My Very Revealing 'Confessions Podcast' With Giles Fraser
- 25 Mar 2019
A few weeks ago I recorded an hour long podcast with Giles Fraser, Anglican Priest and star of The Moral Maze. This is one of those podcasts that is very addictive. I thought I'd better listen to some of the other episodes before doing it myself and I was hooked. His h...
The 1929 General Election Video Collection
- 24 Mar 2019
Lloyd George on unemployment Address by Liberal MP Margaret Wintringham Address by Labour leader Ramsay Macdonald Speech by Labour MP J R Clynes on unemployment Speech by Labour MP J H Thomas Address by William Joynson-Hicks Sir He...
Telegraph Column: Four Ways to Oust a Prime Minister
- 24 Mar 2019
This article originally appeared in the Sunday Telegraph. Theresa May has survived crisis after crisis and clings to office like a limpet. This time, though, it is difficult to see any scenario in which she survives as prime minister. When you reportedly lose the confidence...
The Three Women of 'Newsnight'
- 23 Mar 2019
This article originally appeared in The i Paper. “Where are the men?” was the somewhat tired and predictable response from the more unenlightened (male) social media users to the BBC announcement on Wednesday that Emily Maitlis is to lead a Newsnight presenter team of three...
Come & See a Live 'For the Many' Podcast at Podcast Live on 7 April!
- 22 Mar 2019
Let me tell you about something, which I think is really exciting. Throughout my political career I've tried to do things which enhance political engagement. I opened a political bookshop, I have run two political publishing companies, I was one of the first in the UK to start...
Why Jonathan Dimbleby Will be Missed on 'Any Questions'
- 17 Mar 2019
Could you do 'Any Questions' this week?" emailed the AQ editor, Lisa. "Love to," I thought. Then came the sting. "It's in Carlisle," she said. "Bugger," I thought. I'd already agreed to do Good Morning Britain that morning at 6.15am. "Of course," I said. "Carlisle? Not a probl...
Who Will be the Next LibDem Leader (And Does it Matter)?
- 17 Mar 2019
One of the many mysteries of British politics is why on earth the LibDems are still languishing at under 10% on the polls, given they are the only political party in the UK to have a united and understandable position on Brexit. They have 48% of the electorate to woo, b...
Theresa May Is Heading For a Big Defeat - What Happens Next?
- 12 Mar 2019
This time yesterday I published THIS blogpost, saying it was time that Theresa May realised the game was up and that she should depart the stage. A few hours later she was on her way to Strasburg and by 11pm it looked highly likely she was about to pull off the impossible and ...
Theresa May's Days Are Numbered - The Game is Up
- 11 Mar 2019
Back in September 1992, the evening of Black Wednesday (or White Wednesday as many of us came to call it) when Britain crashed out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the then Prime Minister, John Major, called Kelvin Mackenzie the editor of The Sun and joshed: "Kelvin, I hope you...
When a Tweet Should Have Waited: Will Self v Mark Francois
- 9 Mar 2019
There I was, about to start watching 'Politics Live' yesterday, when my partner walked in and said "Fern Britton is on 'This Morning' talking about her new book". Some years ago I interviewed Fern about a novel she had written and we ended up getting on like a house on fire. S...
On International Women's Day Here are 10 Women Who Have Inspired Me
- 8 Mar 2019
I thought about how to mark International Women's Day on this blog. I could have done something worthy about women in politics or lack of women on the radio, but in the end I've decided to do something personal and pay a bit of a tribute to some of the women in my life who've ...
"There's no Place for Tories in Black Activism" Says Black Academic
- 5 Mar 2019
Last night on our Monday Night Panel on LBC, we discussed the state of race relations in this country. It was overall a really interesting hour long discussion with Trevor Phillips, Anjum Peerbacos and Dr Kehinde Andrews. There was, however, one exchange which left a nasty...
Should We Feel Guilty Listening to Michael Jackson Songs?
- 3 Mar 2019
Two weeks ago, the Vatican held a much heralded conference on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The Pope said some condemnatory words, it featured a lot on TV news bulletins, a communique was issued and two days later all the cardinals went home. PR job done. What is singul...
The 1964 General Election Campaign Video Collection
- 2 Mar 2019
Campaign speech by George Brown Quintin Hogg on Labour Conservative PEBs 1964 - Conservative (5 October 1964) 1964 - Conservative (9 October 1964) 1964- Conservative (13 October 1964) Labour Party PEBs ...
The 1979 General Election Campaign Video Collection
- 1 Mar 2019
Conservative PPB - January 1979 Denis Healey Confronts Trade Union Leaders - 18 January 1979 Jim Callaghan's 'Crisis, What Crisis' Press Conference TV Eye interview with James Callaghan - 9 February 1979 Tonight on the No Confidence Vote - 28 M...
Interview with the 'Brexit Comic'
- 1 Mar 2019
Here's a somewhat bizarre interview I did with The Brexit Comic for their latest issue. Er, enjoy... Will we be leaving the EU this year? If I knew the answer to that question, I could make a lot of money. My gut feeling is that the government is going to have to in...
Seven People I'd Love Never to Hear From Again
- 1 Mar 2019
There are some people who just annoy the hell out of us. Often for no apparent reason, but often because they are incredibly irritating, supercilious, arrogant and sometimes just not very nice. I'm sure I'd figure in some other people's lists of this nature - in fact, judging ...
The Quiet Rise of Andrea Leadsom
- 28 Feb 2019
Back in June and early July 2016 there seemed to be a real possibility that Andrea Leadsom could succeed David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister. She reached the run-off against Theresa May, having scored 83 in the first round of voting among Conse...
Alberto Costa Should Be Given His PPS Job Back
- 27 Feb 2019
I've spent most of the afternoon in Parliament catching up with a few people but not, of course indulging in any sort of gossip whatsover. You know me... While I was there I found out that Alberto Costa had been sacked as a government PPS. 'That can't be right,' I thought. ...