Long-Read

Immigration and asylum rows are another sign of Brexit’s total failure

— Brexit has not only failed to deliver on its promise of reducing immigration and controlling borders, it has also made the immigration issue worse and more difficult to manage. The government’s chaotic and ineffective immigration policies, such as the Rwanda policy, have only added to the problem.

COVID-19 Inquiry

Boris Johnson at the COVID inquiry: Sullen, evasive and a danger to democracy

— Boris Johnson’s demeanour during the COVID inquiry reveals a loss of confidence. His apology lacks clarity, reflecting his leadership style. The inquiry aims to learn, not blame, but public disillusionment may intensify, impacting future elections and anti-political sentiment.

COVID-19 Inquiry

Boris Johnson faces backlash: Outcry over Downing Street parties

— Former PM Boris Johnson faced fierce criticism for his comments about lockdown parties held in Downing Street during his testimony to the COVID inquiry on Thursday. 

COVID-19 Inquiry

Boris Johnson: “My mistakes during COVID did not lead to excess deaths”

— Boris Johnson, appearing at the COVID inquiry, denied government mistakes contributed to excess deaths, attributing them to an elderly population and high population density, and struggled to name a single mistake his government made.

UK Politics

Political fallout: Poll highlights public distrust in Boris Johnson

— A new survey reveals a widespread public mistrust in Boris Johnson’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic during his premiership. The results indicate a considerable trust deficit that may have repercussions on the former PM’s political influence and potential future political endeavours.

COVID-19

Government extensively profiled NHS doctor who fought for COVID transparency

— The government compiled a dossier of information on a doctor who fought for COVID planning papers.

COVID-19 Inquiry

Matt Hancock knew COVID tier system would not work

— Matt Hancock foresaw the failure of the October 2020 COVID tier system, admitting in a witness statement that he was in despair over implementing a policy he knew wouldn’t work.

Long-Read

What the COVID Inquiry tells us about Brexit

— The Hallett Inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic unveils dysfunction in the UK government, revealing intersections with Brexit. Testimonies depict Boris Johnson’s incompetence, a toxic culture, and how Brexit hampered pandemic planning.

COVID-19 Inquiry

Dominic Cummings has exposed a hole at the heart of the British government – and a glaring problem with the way we choose prime ministers

— Giving evidence to the COVID inquiry, Boris Johnson’s former adviser exposed the dysfunction of an administration lacking in the expertise needed to manage a crisis.

COVID-19

‘We look like a terrible, tragic joke’: COVID WhatsApps show government chaos

— The COVID inquiry was shown Whatsapp chats from the early days of the pandemic in which cabinet secretary Simon Case said government decision-making made it look like a ‘terrible, tragic joke’.

Long-Read

Brexit has driven the Tory Party mad

— The influence of Brexit on the Conservative Party has bolstered populism and pushed the party further from moderate conservatism towards the influence of Nigel Farage, which is characterised by detachment from reality and ideological purity.

COVID-19

Why are those lost to COVID not formally memorialised? How politics shapes what we remember

— Hundreds of thousands of red hearts adorn a wall directly opposite parliament, yet successive prime ministers have nothing to say about officially marking the lives lost in the pandemic.

COMMENT

Al-Fayed simply lived in the wrong era of British politics

— Mohamed Al-Fayed was deemed ‘not a fit and proper person to be given (British) citizenship’. Today, the Egyptian businessman would probably be in the House of Lords.

UK Politics

Goldsmith on Government’s green policies: Gove is a monster, Shapps is backward, Sunak not interested

— In a recent interview, Zac Goldsmith, former international environment minister, criticised fellow Tories for their handling of climate commitments.

UK Politics

By-election losses are terrible for the Conservatives – but there are glimmers of hope

— The Conservatives lost two more by-elections, and only just held Uxbridge by a whisker. The party faces its worst defeat since 1997 as Sunak lags far behind Starmer. Is there more trouble ahead?

UK Politics

The UK’s island identity has long shaped its political outlook – is that why it currently feels so adrift?

— Geographical happenstance became a matter of national identity in imperial times and is now a handy rhetorical device for Brexit enthusiasts.