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 Sunak is not for turning in his fight with junior doctors

30 April 2024 10:51 pm

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

30 April 2024 7:37 am

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

24 April 2024 10:50 pm

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

19 April 2024 8:36 pm

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

17 April 2024 5:47 am

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

17 April 2024 4:56 am

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?

16 April 2024 8:04 pm

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

16 April 2024 3:30 am

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

13 April 2024 4:32 am

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

27 March 2024 4:31 am

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

26 March 2024 9:56 pm

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?

26 March 2024 4:50 am

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?

20 March 2024 7:14 am

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?

20 March 2024 12:35 am

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?

19 March 2024 4:14 am

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

13 March 2024 7:14 am

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?

12 March 2024 4:12 am

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?

9 March 2024 12:37 am

Is there really any point to the NHS app monitoring people’s step count? This is the latest announcement from Health…

Jeremy Hunt’s low-key Budget

7 March 2024 1:03 am

If Jeremy Hunt’s Budget was the final flourish before a May election, it’s going to be a very low-key campaign…

Labour will find it hard to get tough on benefits seekers

4 March 2024 11:08 pm

Liz Kendall gave a speech this morning in which she promised to ‘build a better future’ for young people, with…

Can Lindsay Hoyle survive as Speaker?

22 February 2024 7:14 pm

Lindsay Hoyle’s justification for tearing up convention on the Gaza vote was that he had become worried for MPs’ safety…

Lindsay Hoyle apologises amid Commons chaos

22 February 2024 6:25 am

The Commons has gone into meltdown this evening over the Speaker’s handling of the Gaza ceasefire motion, with the Speaker…

Why is Labour going after Kemi Badenoch?

22 February 2024 12:55 am

One person dominated Prime Minister’s Questions, and it wasn’t Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer. It was Kemi Badenoch, who appears…

Why are the Tories, Labour and the SNP changing their tune on Gaza?

21 February 2024 8:07 am

The government has now tabled its own amendment to the SNP motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. This change…