Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
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Starmer and Sunak debated Labour’s position on China at today’s PMQs, with Starmer denying going soft on the Asian superpower. Did Sunak draw inspiration from Katy Balls’s cover article in last week’s Spectator? Katy and Isabel Hardman speak to Oscar Edmondson about the party dynamics behind the debate; how much pressure is each party under from
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The Budget is not due for a fortnight, yet with every day that passes its contents seem to become clearer. This morning Keir Starmer gave an interview to the BBC where he twice refused to rule out a rise in employer’s national insurance contributions in the Budget. Instead, he repeatedly stressed that Labour’s manifesto promise
The Budget is not due for a fortnight, yet with every day that passes its contents seem to become clearer. This morning Keir Starmer gave an interview to the BBC where he twice refused to rule out a rise in employer’s national insurance contributions in the Budget. Instead, he repeatedly stressed that Labour’s manifesto promise
13 min listen
This morning is the government’s big investment summit. They pledged to have the summit within their first 100 days in an attempt to hit the ground running and show the UK as a sensible place to do business. The timing – two weeks before the budget – is interesting, and so is the U-turn from
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Today marks Labour’s 100th day in office. But they are unlikely to be popping champagne corks in Downing Street – even if Lord Alli offered to pay for the Dom Pérignon. This has been a disheartening time for the government and those who wished it well. The promise of dramatic change has been overshadowed by
This weekend, Sir Keir Starmer marks his first 100 days in 10 Downing Street – with the hope of better days to come. The Prime Minister is trying to put a rough first three months behind him with a shake-up of his Downing Street team and a series of events aimed at showing the government
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It’s another busy few days for the Prime Minister as he chairs the inaugural meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions today, marks 100 days in office, and hosts an investment summit on Monday. With the absence of Sue Gray looming large, James Heale unpicks the politics behind these milestones with Katy Balls and
There’s been plenty of drama in Westminster this week with Keir Starmer reshuffling his No. 10 team and the Tories’ game-playing in the party’s leadership contest. But away from parliament, the other big story in domestic politics has been the return of Boris Johnson. The former prime minister has been on a publicity trail to
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Actress and writer Tracy-Ann Oberman is well known for her roles across theatre, radio and television, including Dr Who, Friday Night Dinner, It’s a Sin and, of course, EastEnders. Most recently, she has taken on one of the most famous, and problematic, Shakespearean roles: as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Inspired by her great-grandmother, she has reimagined the role as
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Successive governments have struggled with how to deal with China, balancing them as a geopolitical rival yet necessary trade partner. Recent moves from Labour have sent mixed signals, from the free speech act to the return of the Chagos Islands. Further decisions loom on the horizon. As Rachel Reeves seeks some economic wiggle room, can
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The Institute for Fiscal Studies has published its yearly Green Budget, weeks ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s first fiscal event. It’s grim reading, for both the government and the public. For Labour to make good on its promise to avoid ‘austerity’, taxes are going to need to go up significantly: by £25 billion, the IFS’s reports,
The Foreign Secretary David Lammy will touch down in Beijing next week to pay his respects. Next year, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, is expected to do the same. We haven’t seen this level of deference to the Chinese Communist party since 2019. Back then, Philip Hammond heaped praise on his hosts. He endorsed their Belt
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Westminster is reeling from the shock result that James Cleverly has been knocked out of the Conservative Party leadership race, only a day after coming first in the previous round. Kemi Badenoch topped the poll, with Robert Jenrick second and only one vote behind her; Cleverly lost two votes. What on earth happened? To try
What is going on in the Tory leadership contest? On Tuesday evening, it looked as though James Cleverly was on the up. Following an impressive outing at Conservative party conference, the former foreign secretary had become the bookies’ favourite and in Tuesday’s knockout round secured the highest number of MP backers at 39 votes. However,
It’s crunch day in the Tory leadership contest. This afternoon, Tory MPs will vote in the final knock-out round of the contest. It means one of James Cleverly, Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick will be eliminated and the final two will be voted on by the Conservative membership, with a result announced in early November.
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Who’s in charge in Downing Street? Until recently, the answer to that question would tend to reveal whether you were a Sue Gray or Morgan McSweeney supporter. Keir Starmer’s two most senior aides were viewed to be in a power struggle over the direction of the government. But with Gray’s resignation this weekend, it is McSweeney who is running
Who’s in charge in Downing Street? Until recently, the answer to that question would tend to reveal whether you were a Sue Gray or Morgan McSweeney supporter. Keir Starmer’s two most senior aides were viewed to be in a power struggle over the direction of the government. As Chief of Staff, Gray was ultimately in
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Keir Starmer has not yet reached the 100 day mark but already he has lost his Chief of Staff. This afternoon, Downing Street has confirmed that Sue Gray is leaving her No. 10 role. Instead, she will be taking on an ‘advisory’ role as the Prime Minister’s envoy for nations and regions. In a statement
Keir Starmer has not yet reached the 100 day mark but already he has lost his Chief of Staff. This afternoon, Downing Street has confirmed that Sue Gray is leaving her No. 10 role. Instead, she will be taking on an ‘advisory’ role as the Prime Minister’s envoy for nations and regions. In a statement
Keir Starmer is pressing ahead with his promise to give MPs a free vote on assisted dying laws. This evening, the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has said she will use her private member’s bill this month to give terminally ill adults a choice at the end of life to shorten their pain and suffering. The
