Long-Read
— National populism, fuelled by media-backed disinformation, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and libertarian ideologies, threatens democracies globally by eroding institutions, fostering fear, and exploiting divisions.
Boris Johnson
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party 2019-2022.
Tories
— Tory ministers worked closely with Shell on its relocation to London ahead of COP26 in 2021, newly revealed documents show. Despite barring fossil fuel sponsorship, the government privately supported Shell’s move, downplaying climate concerns and avoiding reputational risks.
UK Politics
— New revelations expose former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s contentious relationship with Queen Elizabeth II regarding the prorogation of Parliament in 2019 and his handling of constitutional matters during his time in Downing Street.
UK Politics
— The Conservative leadership candidates face challenges akin to those of Silvio Berlusconi and Boris Johnson, whose media-driven, populist approaches ultimately yielded limited progress and lasting controversy.
Right-Wing Media
— Michael Gove, ex-Tory MP, will soon edit The Spectator, reinforcing its right-wing conservative stance under new owner Sir Paul Marshall. This move underscores enduring press-politics links in British media.
Legitimisation of the Far-Right
— The recent riots, triggered by misinformation and targeting Muslims, highlight deep-seated Islamophobia in the UK. Despite clear evidence, politicians avoid labelling it as such, instead calling it far-right thuggery or anti-immigration protests.
UK Politics
— The Conservative Party, established in 1832, was declared dead on 5 July 2024. Once popular and competent, it just couldn’t prevent universal suffrage, faced internal divisions, COVID-related greed, and simply declined after Brexit.
COMMENT
— Freedom of Information in the UK is declining, with full request approvals dropping from 55% in 2013 to 34% recently. Successive Conservative governments have increasingly restricted it, undermining transparency and accountability.
Voter ID
— Ironically, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who implemented the voter ID laws, was turned away from voting in the local elections due to not having proper identification, spotlighting significant flaws in the policy as a general election looms.
UK Politics
— Despite the uproar over Lee Anderson’s attack on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the Conservative Party, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, fails to address it as blatant Islamophobia. This reflects a persistent issue within the party.
UK Politics
— Recent YouGov surveys illuminate public perception of UK Conservative Prime Ministers since 2010. Liz Truss is heavily criticised, Boris Johnson polarises, while Rishi Sunak’s leadership receives mixed responses.
UK Politics
— Keir Starmer, if he becomes prime minister, faces global populism amid elections favouring anti-establishment figures around the world. Navigating instability, he must defend NATO and counter divisive forces in a changing political climate.
UK Media
— In a candid interview with Radio Times, LBC’s Nick Ferrari recalled a time when Boris Johnson had a tendency to vanish off-camera during challenging radio interviews. Ferrari revealed how they eventually took measures to prevent this by securing the chair with bolts.
UK Politics
— From new immigration laws to the COVID inquiry’s module on vaccines, 2024 is more than just a year to head to the polls.
UK Politics
— With a general election on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to curl up with one of these expert political book recommendations.
COVID-19
— For a nation grappling with an invisible enemy, COVID-19, leadership became the compass, the difference between weathering the storm and succumbing to its fury. Yet, at the helm of the UK stood Boris Johnson, a man whose relationship with science resembled a blind date gone disastrously wrong.
