On 4 January 2011, Mohamed Bouazizi died from injuries he incurred by setting himself on fire in protest against the confiscation of his wares by the police. His death set in motion the Arab Spring across North Africa and the Middle East. Ten years later the politics of protest have not disappeared.
Read MoreI spoke with Luke Hanrahan at Newsy about the future of the “Special Relationship” and how Boris Johnson is going to have to reinvent himself to get along with Joe Biden.
Read MoreThe genuine threat to liberty exposed by the coronavirus pandemic is that some of those who hold power believe that they ought to be above the law, above scrutiny, and above accountability. The actions of Trump, Johnson and Cummings may delight their base, but their supporters should bear in mind that a favoured slave is no less a slave.
Read MoreToday I woke up as a European citizen, tomorrow I will not. The gamblers have won and they got Brexit done. Or so it would seem. They want to give the impression that they are taking their chips and leaving the table, but they are not cashing in. They are moving to a higher stakes game.
Read MoreCaroline Flint has alleged that Emily Thornberry blamed the Johnson’s triumph on the ‘stupidity’ of voters. Thornberry denies this and has begun legal action against Flint, but behind closed doors many people may think that democracy has a problem: it gives too much power to the stupid, ignorant, and misinformed. They just don’t have the stomach to publicly challenge the foundational belief that democracy is the cornerstone of a well-ordered state. Is this true?
Read MoreThere are now less than two weeks before the election and things are not looking good for Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party. Despite climbing from the mid-20s to the low-30s in some polls, they are still 11 points back on some counts. The Labour Party tried to make an election about Brexit an election about austerity. It isn’t working and if they don’t change tact then they are likely to be decimated. They need to show Leavers and Remainers that Boris Johnson’s ‘oven ready’ deal is half-frozen slop that you wouldn’t give to your dog.
Read MoreToday we are two weeks out from the general election and, against my predictions, it seems that Boris Johnson is on track for a strong majority. YouGov’s MRP analysis of every constituency has predicted a major Tory breakthrough. But is this the high tide for the Tories and can they stop it from draining away?
Read MoreOne of the more inexplicable elements of the British political landscape is the enduring fixation with the ‘Australian-style points-based immigration system’. It is a core commitment of the Conservative Party’s manifesto. The problem is that it has little to do with Australia and that country’s immigration system. Indeed, it is a dog whistle that appeals to the folk-memory of the far right in the UK.
Read MoreOn Friday I said pretty unequivocally that parliament would not grant Johnson an election. He doesn’t have the numbers. However, I made a rather basic oversight. The UK is not a two-party system.. The LibDems and SNP have shown how disruptive they can be. Is their election gambit reckless or sound strategic thinking?
Read MoreWe are entering a high stakes week for Brexit. Is it going to be Thermopylae or Marathon for the opponents of Boris Johnson’s Deal?
Read MoreBoris Johnson, humiliated by the Supreme Court for his unlawful prorogation of parliament, returned to the House of Commons unrepentant. He burned every bridge to the opposition, but this won’t bother him. Johnson and Cummings are going for broke.
Read MoreJohnson and Cummings had a disastrous week. Painted into a corner the government prorogued parliament, while making chicken noises at the opposition. How should Corbyn respond? Be the adult in the room.
Read MoreThe Prime Minister and Dominic Cummings lost two major bets this week. They failed to block opposition legislation or call an election on their terms. The price has been the catastrophic loss of their majority, a split in the Tory Party, and the narrative is slipping away from them. What can they do now?
Read MoreIt’s hard to be overshadowed by a boss who lurches from crisis to crisis, but it is all in a day’s work for Sajid Javid.
Read MoreOn the back of the prorogation palaver, Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings seem set to roll the dice for a general election. Is this wise and what should Jeremy Corbyn do?
Read MoreThe PM and Dominic Cummings are escalating the risk of No Deal via a constitutional crisis. Is this a high-stake strategic risk or a reckless gamble?
Read MoreAs goes Ystragynlais, so goes the Country? Lessons from the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election.
Read MoreBoris Johnson has managed to claw a lead over Labour in the polls, but can it last or is it just a flash in the pan? We know that he is pulling votes away from Farage’s Brexit Party, but is this enough to win in a general election? What can we hope to learn from the Brecon-Radnorshire by-election?
Read MoreIt is almost inevitable that we are heading to a general election in the UK, but the threat to the Conservative Party has been lost amidst Boris Johnson’s optimistic bombast. Tory strategy is coming in shape with the Vote Leave government, but there are at least two reasons to be cautious: LibDems in the suburbs and the challenge of selling the Tory brand in the North (especially while surrounded by the Rule Britannia gang).
Read MoreThe current Brexit situation is difficult to cope with for most Europeans. The election of Boris Johnson as new British Prime Minister has raised a lot of concerns and the new tenant of 10, Downing Street is considered as the “light version” of Donald Trump. So, how will things evolve until October, 31st, the “Brexit Day”? We have asked Dr. David Blunt, Lecturer in International Politics at City University of London.
Read More
