Analysis

Sleaze: Why Boris Johnson is being reminded of the lurid scandals of 1990s Britain.

— There are important similarities between the current PM’s woes and John Major’s – but a very important difference, too.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Novavax COVID vaccine is nearing approval – What impact will it have?

— Beset by delays, this vaccine is becoming available when low-income countries are desperately short of doses.

Brexit

Welcome to Brexit 2.0.

— Professor Chris Grey’s latest Brexit analysis, looking at different scenarios arising from the Article 16 threat, how that threat is an attempt to re-run the Brexit process and the political implications of doing so for Johnson and for Labour.

Analysis

Corruption: How the UK compares to other countries.

— Just because corruption is very difficult to measure doesn’t mean that it can’t be felt and that high profile scandals don’t have an impact. The politicians implicated in these scandals neglect the impact that they can have at their peril.

Brexit

Owen Paterson’s role in Brexit.

— Paterson’s career as an MP has ended in disgrace, although he may well continue to play his part in the ‘Brexitosphere’ of thinktanks and pressure groups in which he has had so prominent a role before and after Brexit.

COP26

Five things you need to know about the Glasgow Climate Pact.

— COP26 saw incremental progress but not the breakthrough moment needed.

Climate Change

COP26 – Why politicians have little incentive to prepare for future climate change disasters.

— Politicians have more incentive to react to current climate disasters, but more investment is needed in preparing for future problems.

COP26

Claims of COP26’s success have been unpicked – but political journalists have repeated the spin.

— Mainstream reporters not familiar with the topic may spin the summit as a huge success or devastating failure.

Analysis

I interviewed Richard Ratcliffe about his hunger strike: Here’s how it’s affecting him.

— The husband of detained Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is in the 18th day of his hunger strike outside the Foreign Office in London.

Analysis

The handling of the Owen Paterson case is a danger to the entire fabric of British politics.

— Own Paterson has now resigned but the damage caused by MPs voting to block an independent decision has already been done.

Brexit

Where stands support for Brexit now?

— A new post-Brexit Poll of Polls currently shows 51% are in favour of being part of the EU and 49% against.

Brexit

Fishy arguments.

— Professor Chris Grey’s long read analysis on the complexities of the Brexit fishing row, how they do/don’t relate to the Northern Ireland Protocol row, why ‘remainers’ needn’t pick a side, and why Brexiters can’t turn the clocks back.

Trust In Science

Vaccine trial misconduct allegation – Could it damage trust in science?

— Pfizer contractor Ventavia denies accusations of scientific misconduct on COVID vaccine trial.

Climate Change

Shipping emissions must fall by a third by 2030 and reach zero before 2050.

— The global shipping sector delivers 90% of global trade and has a carbon footprint the size of Germany’s.

Climate Change

Overseas trade has a hidden environmental ‘disaster footprint’.

— Foreign trade outsources both emissions and environmental hazards.

Climate Change

COP26: Here’s how much progress the UK has made on three key net zero pledges.

— Electric vehicle sales are booming and coal power is dwindling, but structural obstacles to net zero remain.