Now the Olympic flame has been lit in the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, for the next two weeks our TV screens will be filled with the opulent stadiums and arenas, and the extravagant ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics. It will be a very different version of China to the one experienced by all…
John Nicolson is the MP for Ochil & South Perthshire and the SNP’s shadow culture secretary. Nicolson is a former journalist, best known in politics for his role on the digital, culture, media and sport committee, often going viral on social media with his tough line of questioning and no-nonsense approach. In this week’s edition…
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has laid out plans to spread the costs of rising energy prices for “80% of homes in England”. Sunak told the House of Commons today that it would be “dishonest” to pretend we do not have to adjust the energy price cap, which will rise to £1,971 from April.. The Chancellor faced…
A minister has stressed that he is “very, very proud” of the government’s measures to tackle cost of living issues. Foreign minister James Cleverly said the cabinet “absolutely recognise” the issues associated with the fifty per cent energy price cap jump set to be rolled out from April. This morning Ofgem is scheduled to confirm…
Minister of state, Kit Malthouse, made a statement to the House of Commons following an investigation into “bullying and misogyny in Charing Cross Police Station”. Malthouse told the House: “Misogynistic, racist and homophobic behaviour became commonplace between officers”. The Conservative MP said that he hoped that the investigations taking place, including one by the Home…
Andy Burnham has warned the government that its Integrated Rail Plan ‘isn’t as good as it can be’, warning the north could come out “second best” under the current proposals. The mayor of Greater Manchester stressed the plan was a “once in 200-year decision for the country”. The transport committee was holding its first evidence…
A leading defence journalist has warned that Russia has the capabilities to invade Ukraine in a ‘matter of days’, and could choose to do so during the upcoming Winter Olympics. Shashank Joshi defence editor at The Economist, made the comments whilst giving evidence to the foreign affairs committee’s one-off session on the situation in Ukraine.…
Westminster is home to one of the most revered and well-respected political establishments in the world. UK politics has always prided itself on promoting its traditions, values, and high principles. But after a spate of damaging scandals, Westminster’s reputation is at risk. Standards in public life have slipped, and the public may have had enough.…
The government’s building remediation process ‘should have started some time ago’, according to a leading trade association. Earlier this month, housing secretary Michael Gove announced plans to force developers to pay for remediation costs of unsafe cladding across the UK. David O’Leary, policy director of the Home Builders Federation, said the picture of how many…
NATO needs to urgently review its red lines and consider again whether to at least pause its expansion eastwards – and give Russia assurances to that effect I’m no apologist for Russian president Vladimir Putin, nor for Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its attempts to destabilise Ukraine – and the western alliance of democratic countries…
