Isabel Hardman

Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and edits the Coffee House blog. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.

Why are the Tories dragging their feet over public sector pay?

1 February 2023 10:25 pm

Why haven’t ministers sent their submissions to the independent pay review bodies for their sectors? That’s the question being asked…

Are Tory MPs resigned to defeat?

1 February 2023 1:22 am

A telling moment in today’s urgent question on the IMF’s economic outlook came when Angela Eagle pointed out the dearth…

Keir Starmer: ‘We haven’t won – yet’

28 January 2023 9:00 am

When Keir Starmer won the Labour leadership in 2020, following the party’s worst election defeat since 1935, many people shook…

Sunak fined by police for a second time

21 January 2023 5:53 am

In the past few minutes, Lancashire Police has confirmed that Rishi Sunak has received a fixed penalty notice for sitting…

Are the Tories serious about levelling up?

19 January 2023 11:26 pm

How serious are the Conservatives about levelling up? Their MPs have reportedly been told not to use the phrase in their…

Rishi Sunak bows to the Online Safety Bill rebels

18 January 2023 12:07 am

Rishi Sunak and Michelle Donelan will this afternoon bow to the inevitable and accept rebel changes to the Online Safety…

The looming challenge on police protest powers

17 January 2023 12:34 am

MPs and peers are going to spend the next few weeks in an almighty fight about strikes and protests. Today…

Is the Princess of Wales right about talking therapy?

15 January 2023 1:18 am

The Princess of Wales is in hot water for some remarks she made while visiting the Open Door charity in…

How long before Rishi Sunak goes off his own pledges?

7 January 2023 8:19 pm

When I was a student, my housemates and I would buy our groceries from a shop that offered only days…

Sunak: judge me on my priorities

5 January 2023 2:49 am

Rishi Sunak’s new year speech was more about what he wants to fix rather than how he plans to fix…

This wind U-turn proves Sunak is a risk management PM

7 December 2022 5:59 am

Another day, another U-turn: this time on onshore wind. To the surprise of no-one, the government has given in to…

The Tories’ migration policy problem

25 November 2022 4:55 am

Today’s net migration figures naturally present a problem for ministers in that they are going in the opposite direction to…

The Tory planning row is becoming increasingly bitter

24 November 2022 3:08 am

The Tories are really wheeling out all the greatest hits for party rows at the moment. Not content with a…

Why are MPs able to claim Christmas parties on expenses?

23 November 2022 1:27 am

What was Ipsa thinking? That’s the question MPs are asking today after it emerged that the parliamentary spending regulator has…

Labour’s attack lines are working

18 November 2022 12:24 am

Rachel Reeves is getting better and better as Shadow Chancellor. Mind you, her response to Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement was…

How Ed Miliband became the power behind Keir Starmer

12 November 2022 9:00 am

How Ed Miliband became the power behind Starmer

Gavin Williamson is still causing problems for Rishi Sunak

10 November 2022 12:27 am

Today’s Prime Minister’s Questions showed it is possible for someone who has resigned for being a distraction to continue being…

Williamson out after bullying allegations

9 November 2022 7:27 am

In the past few minutes Gavin Williamson has quit the government after another formal complaint was made about his conduct.…

Sunak escapes blame over Williamson allegations… so far

9 November 2022 6:28 am

Pressure is mounting on Rishi Sunak and Gavin Williamson. The official who alleged that Williamson bullied them when defence secretary…

Braverman chooses Jenrick to be her shield

8 November 2022 6:36 am

Suella Braverman didn’t come to the Commons to answer the Urgent Question that her Conservative colleague Sir Roger Gale had…

Why Sunak backtracked over fines for missed GP appointments

28 October 2022 11:37 pm

Not surprisingly, Rishi Sunak has dropped plans to fine NHS patients £10 for missed appointments. It was one of the…

Sunak will be pleased with his PMQs debut

26 October 2022 11:57 pm

Rishi Sunak vs Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions today was spicier than many had expected. Both men enjoyed themselves,…

Rishi Sunak vows to fix things for Britain

25 October 2022 10:18 pm

Unlike Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak didn’t skirt around the circumstances of the changing of the guard in No 10. His…

Liz Truss's defiant farewell speech

25 October 2022 8:39 pm

Liz Truss’s final words as Prime Minister were not just an attempt to set out what she sees as being…

What's next for Rishi Sunak as prime minister?

25 October 2022 2:46 am

What is Rishi Sunak going to do as prime minister? We are still little the wiser, even after he addressed…