In his first public address of the New Year, the Prime Minister made five pledges which he says are the foundations for a better future. After thirteen years, aren’t we entitled to more than laying the foundations? He says he’ll half inflation before the end of the year which, as Chancellor, he let rip. OfContinue reading We Deserve a Lot Better
PM’s Future Is Already The Talk Of Tory Conference
I’m told the PM and Chancellor planned to visit my constituency this week. They didn’t have the courtesy to tell me as parliamentary custom requires. Still, they also didn’t tell the Cabinet about the budget and forgetting to brief the markets unleashed chaos. The Tory Party is a ruthless election machine, capable of constantly reinventing itselfContinue reading PM’s Future Is Already The Talk Of Tory Conference
Contenders don’t inspire
Johnson was driven from office because his own side could no longer tolerate his constant lies. Those same MPs now say they are the right people to shortlist his successor before handing the final choice to less than 160,000 Tory Party members. Of those likely to succeed, the former Chancellor Rishi Sunak is responsible forContinue reading Contenders don’t inspire
Tories need Boris break
It’s possible that by the time you read this, we’ll have witnessed the spectacle of Tory MPs defending, in a confidence motion, the man they forced to resign. In 2019 Boris Johnson told an exhausted nation that he’d get Brexit done and was rewarded with an 80-seat majority, but he betrayed that trust. As ministersContinue reading Tories need Boris break
Act like it is 1963 Boris
Last weekend demonstrated the affection the public has for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She’s been a beacon and unfailing source of strength during an enormous period of change. As I’ve listened to constituents talk about her 70 years on the throne, I’ve been struck by how much people focus on some unwelcome changes inContinue reading Act like it is 1963 Boris
Prime Minister Boris Johnson dodges Birmingham MP’s call for a guarantee that the number of people dying in freezing homes falls by next year
Steve McCabe, the Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Selly Oak today asked the Prime Minister at PMQs if he would make a guarantee that the shocking figure of 9000 people who died in their homes last year as they were too cold, would be lower in the coming year. The figures come from the recentlyContinue reading Prime Minister Boris Johnson dodges Birmingham MP’s call for a guarantee that the number of people dying in freezing homes falls by next year
A question of priorities
Life goes on despite constant questions about the Prime Minister’s behaviour. Last week in Parliament, I spent more time on childcare than the antics at Number 10. I’ve been looking at efforts to support people into work, particularly mothers, through my role on the Work and Pensions Select Committee. On Wednesday we questioned ministers aboutContinue reading A question of priorities
Taking oath before PMQs
Goodness knows what we can expect from Prime Minister’s Questions this week but last week, in the first of the year, the PM displayed a disturbing pattern by showing contempt for proceedings and a reckless disregard for accuracy when answering questions. First he denied ever saying inflation fears were unfounded. Almost immediately a recording emergedContinue reading Taking oath before PMQs
Kiss was tip of iceberg
Just when you might have thought they’d secretly passed a law to ban it, we’ve finally seen the resignation of a government minister. Is it just a story about someone having an affair or does it say much more about this government? The former Health Secretary has enjoyed extraordinary power during his time in chargeContinue reading Kiss was tip of iceberg