The NHS’s maternity care has always been a mess
The latest report on maternity care in the UK hasn’t told us anything new. The headline finding of the parliamentary…
Elphicke defection baffles Tories at PMQs
If Natalie Elphicke’s defection had much of an effect on the mood of Tory MPs at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions,…
Parliament’s Rafah rage
It’s been a while since the Commons has had so much anger in it as it did during the urgent…
Jeremy Hunt snaps at Rachel Reeves over National Insurance
Rachel Reeves may have been getting attention for her accusation that the government is ‘gaslighting’ the public over the state…
Tories aren’t panicking – they expected a drubbing
Unsurprisingly, the overnight results from the local elections have been very bruising for the Conservatives. Local election results day is…
Do Tory MPs really believe Rishi Sunak can win the election?
Could Rishi Sunak be about to win the next general election? That suggestion, made at Prime Minister’s Questions today by…
Why Sunak is not for turning in his fight with junior doctors
Those waiting for the local election results before they look for evidence of Rishi Sunak’s fightback are running late: the…
The benefits bill won’t improve without an NHS turnaround
How much can Mel Stride really do to cut the benefits bill? In the Commons today, the Work and Pensions…
Rayner outsmarts Dowden at PMQs battle of the deputies
Few politicians have looked more pleased with a joke than Oliver Dowden did with his first offering at Prime Minister’s…
MPs need a proper HR service
The most damning bit of the lurid Mark Menzies case is that the Conservatives had been aware of the allegations…
Parliament votes for smoking ban
In the past few minutes, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has passed its second reading by 383 votes to 67,…
What Liz Truss got right
It’s easy to laugh at Liz Truss bringing out a book, much harder to ask whether there are points she…
When will the Rwanda ping-pong end?
MPs once again rejected all the changes made by peers to the Safety of Rwanda Bill last night, with the…
Starmer: Israel should show ‘strength and courage’ to de-escalate
Rishi Sunak wants this weekend’s attempt by Iran to attack Israel to mark a de-escalation in the region. He told…
Rayner promises to quit if convicted
Angela Rayner has this evening announced that she would quit if convicted of breaking electoral law, saying: ‘If I committed…
I’ve done very well, says Rishi Sunak at select committee grilling
Normally when a select committee hearing or interview is described as ‘wide-ranging’, it’s because a lot was said, but none…
The Waspi women won’t be compensated any time soon
If the ‘Waspi women’ (women against state pension inequality) were hoping that last week’s ombudsman report into the maladministration of…
Is the UK’s China policy about to change?
What difference is the revelation that China was behind two cyber attacks – on the Electoral Commission and UK parliamentarians –…
Does Rachel Reeves have the answers?
Rachel Reeves has given her much-anticipated speech about what she’d do as the first female chancellor in history. As briefed,…
Could a fight over Rwanda get Sunak the poll boost he needs?
Downing Street has warned that peers will show a lack of ‘compassion’ if they do not pass the Rwanda Bill…
Has Labour spied an opportunity in the Tory National Insurance pledge?
A curious attack from Labour in the Commons this afternoon: shadow work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall used her slot…
Kemi Badenoch refuses to toe the line – again
It’s been another deeply uncomfortable day for the Tories, where the line to take on an issue of racism has…
Can the Tories actually make their free extra childcare plan work?
Is the government’s expansion of free childcare actually going to work? The early years sector says not. They have warned…
Will the NHS step count app get people back to work?
Is there really any point to the NHS app monitoring people’s step count? This is the latest announcement from Health…
