Conservatives
Even Ukip don't dare break the unhealthy consensus on the NHS
There’s an irony about Ukip’s rise. Nigel Farage party’s popularity is driven by a widespread sense that the main parties…
What Angela Merkel really wants (it's not good news for Dave)
The German Chancellor has a lot in common with David Cameron – which is why she can’t afford to help him very much
Ukip’s Patrick O’Flynn on the ‘genius’ Nigel Farage and why Douglas Carswell’s votes won’t set party policy
Patrick O’Flynn praises ‘genius’ Nigel Farage, and puts Douglas Carswell in his place
How to fight Ukip
In the 2005 general election this magazine supported the Conservatives, with one exception — we urged voters in Medway not to…
It’s not just Ukip that’s changing Cameron’s mind about immigration
It is easy to mock David Cameron on immigration. Under pressure from the public and from Ukip, he’s having to…
How Cameron could make the EU a winning issue (and why he won’t)
I don’t think the PM will really campaign for an EU exit. But he still has the best chance of getting one
Ukip is in the middle of the most cynical political repositioning ever
I think I’ve cracked it. If you want to springboard your minor political party into the mainstream and take British…
Why are the Lib Dems duffing up the Tories? To ensure another coalition
The last Liberal Democrat conference before the general election has been dominated by denunciations of the ‘nasty’ Tories. Lib Dems…
Who are Ukip’s new voters? The kind of people who decide elections
An opinion poll to be published next week will reveal that Labour leader Ed Miliband is slightly less popular with…
Must MPs always vote before we go to war?
Jesse Norman was permitted three minutes for his speech to the Commons in last Friday’s debate. But the contribution from…
Nigel Farage’s class war
I initially thought Nigel Farage had made a mistake in unveiling Mark Reckless on the final day of his party…
When the Welsh go it alone, blame me
Oh dear. I think I may have inadvertently contributed to the dissolution of Great Britain. I’m not claiming sole responsibility.…
Here comes Boris! The next Tory leadership fight has just begun
The next Tory leadership battle has just begun
For Boris, choosing the right seat will only be half the battle
Choosing the right seat is only half the battle for Boris
Could Michael Howard be the next EU Commissioner?
In recent weeks British government visitors to Berlin have been confronted with a persistent question: when will David Cameron make…
What is David Cameron’s big idea?
In almost a decade as Conservative leader, David Cameron has tended to avoid talking about his political philosophy. He has…
Meeting George Osborne at Waterloo
The defence of Hougoumont is one of the great British feats of arms. If the farmhouse had fallen to Bonaparte’s…
The lefty liberals may be losing their hold over the arts world
If you happen to be reading this column at breakfast, I’d recommend you skip to something more agreeable like Dear…
White, blue-collar, grey-haired rebels
In the 2010 general election, Ukip gained nearly a million votes — over 3 per cent — three times as…
Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and the return of Tory wars
From the moment he took his job, Michael Gove knew that he would make energetic and determined enemies. The teachers’…
I’m scared to admit to being a Tory in today’s C of E
Believe me, it’s not easy to be a Tory in today’s C of E
If David Cameron can't get the floods right, all his hopes will wash away
It is all hands to the pump in Downing Street. The entire No. 10 operation from the Prime Minister down…
The Tory rebels have two choices: shut up or lose the election
Things could scarcely be going better for the Conservatives. Every week seems to bring more news of the recovery. High…
What the NHS owes the Tories
Pinned to the wall of Jeremy Hunt’s office in the Department of Health is an A1 piece of paper detailing…