Wes Streeting: A man with a plan
As we enter 2024, the year of the next General Election, Labour is still riding high in the polls with what looks like a clear route to power. The party is, however, far from immune to criticism. Under Sir Keir Starmer’s tenure, figures across Labour’s broad church – including former Labour minister Lord Mandelson and […]
Londoners: Next year’s Mayoral elections are about more than just City Hall.
2024 is the year of the election. With the endless speculation of whether we could be facing a Spring or Autumn election (or even later) in the UK, it’s easy to miss what is going on elsewhere. However, with more than half of the world’s population going to the polls (health warning: not all will […]
For Labour, the road to Westminster runs through Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Scotland’s first ever recall by-election was decided yesterday, with Labour securing the seat with 58.6% of the vote. Previously a Labour bastion, the constituency has had a history of changing hands between SNP and Labour, doing so at the last three general elections. All eyes have been on Rutherglen and Hamilton West as a harbinger […]
The National Policy Forum Report: A Labour of Love?
Following months of consultation and internal battles, the Labour Party will set out its most significant policy vision for Government in its National Policy Forum report at their party conference next week. Very few not directly involved with the Party understand the significance of the document and fewer know what its final report will mean […]
Conservative Party Conference preview – will the real Rishi Sunak turn up?
In the popular children’s board game “Guess Who”, each player is given one card with an image of a person on it, and the other player must guess who is on that card by asking yes or no questions. Players then flip down characters until they have worked out which one the other player is […]
Fixing the National Grid – an urgent priority for the UK
The National Grid plays a critical role in connecting millions of people across the UK to the energy they use – but the reality is that our creaking National Grid needs urgent reform to turbocharge Britain’s green industrial revolution. In July 1953, Britain switched on its new high voltage super grid for the first time, […]
Sunak’s choice: Make the environment a key pledge, or surrender the Conservative Party’s environmental brand
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister set out his five priorities for 2023; prioritising the economy, the NHS, and immigration. However, what was most puzzling was the omission of the environment. Sunak’s decision is even more striking in the face of the different environmental disasters that have since occurred: flash floods, heatwaves, and wildfires across […]
Starmer, Wilson and Labour’s Policy Battles
“The Labour Party is like a stagecoach. If you rattle along at great speed everybody inside is too exhilarated or too seasick to cause any trouble. But if you stop, everybody gets out and argues about where to go next.” Labour supporters love a Harold Wilson quote. The above feels like the most appropriate warning […]
Uxbridge, ULEZ and Understanding Labour
On paper, the reading of last Thursday’s by-election results was straightforward enough. While the results were an even 3-3 among the Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats, the reality spelled trouble for the Conservatives and real promise for Labour. With an average of an 11% swing to Labour, Friday should have been a day of jubilation […]
Turbulent Times Ahead: Spain at the helm of the European Union amidst general election
Next month, Spain will officially take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of the year. Presidencies come and go, but Spain’s ascendancy comes at a crucial time for both Spanish and European politics. With domestic political challenges preceding Spain’s general election alongside the ticking clock of the European […]