Politics

Read about the latest political news, views and analysis

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Emily Thornberry’s speech shows why Team Corbyn went cold on a female deputy | 25 September 2018

For those wondering why exactly Labour vetoed plans for a new female deputy leader this morning over fears the role could undermine Jeremy Corbyn, look no further than Emily Thornberry's conference speech. This afternoon, the shadow foreign secretary offered a pretty good explanation as to why Corbyn's allies had become nervous about the idea of promoting a woman to second in command. Fresh from talking movingly about her backstory in a fringe event (Isabel reports on part 1 of Thornberry's leadership launch here), Thornberry gave her boss a run for his money with a crowd-pleasing – at times barnstorming – speech which neatly set out the clear blue water between herself and the current Labour leader.

Isabel Hardman

Emily Thornberry’s leadership pitch, part 1

The Labour leadership may be rowing back from the idea of having a second, female, deputy leader, but that isn’t stopping those who, like Emily Thornberry, fancy a shot at the top job one day. While the Shadow Foreign Secretary was totally loyal to Jeremy Corbyn when she spoke at a Times fringe this lunchtime, she started by talking movingly about her backstory, touching also on the need for a leader who has experience of the frontbench, and repeatedly referred to the importance of members in the Labour Party. It is well-understood that Thornberry would, one day, like to run for leader, and today’s performance not only underlined that, but also showed why she should.

Steerpike

Tosh McDonald: I set my alarm early so I could hate Thatcher more

Jeremy Corbyn has famously said that he wants a 'kinder, gentler politics'. But it seems one of his close allies didn't get the message. Union leader Tosh McDonald took to the stage at Labour conference this morning to tell his fellow party members of just how much he hates Margaret Thatcher: 'I say this many times, it’s still true: I hated her. I wish I could be like Jeremy and rise above it, but I can’t. And I did hate her that much that I did set my alarm clock an hour earlier than I needed, just so I could hate her for an hour longer.' Tosh by name, tosh by nature...

The Spectator

Full text: Emily Thornberry’s Labour conference speech

Conference, as we all know, this is a year of important anniversaries in the history of the socialist movement - a movement always based on the unstoppable momentum of the masses, the incredible inspiration of courageous individuals and a core belief that injustice done to any of us is injustice done to all of us wherever we are in the world. And in this year of anniversaries, we start by celebrating 150 years of the TUC: 150 years spent fighting for workers, not just in Britain but all across the globe, and stronger than ever today thanks to the leadership of Frances O’Grady, and thanks to a Labour leadership which now respects the representatives of our workers, rather than treating them with deliberate contempt.

Steerpike

Watch: Labour supporter refuses to leave the stage

It’s all kicking off at Labour conference. A Labour supporter has just given a speech on Palestine from the main stage, but when he was told his time was up he refused to leave the stage: 'My time is not up. I am speaking for the Palestinian people. I’ve got a couple more lines and I’m going to say them, and if you want me off this stage, you’re going to have to get security up here. And they’d better send an army, because east enders, like Palestinians, don’t go down easy.' https://twitter.com/josephmdurso/status/1044590622710075394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Eventually, he did leave the stage but not before a warm greeting and a handshake from Jeremy Corbyn...

Steerpike

Live blog: Labour’s Brexit position, 25/9/18

It's Labour conference and the party is supposed to be setting out its plan for government. Only when it comes to Brexit, no-one is quite sure what that is. In the interest of clarity, Mr S will be running a live blog with the latest twists in the party's apparent Brexit policy: 11am: Keir Starmer says remaining in the EU is an option The shadow Brexit secretary tells Labour conference: ‘Nobody is ruling out remain as an option.’ 11am: Dennis Skinner frowns The Beast of Bolsover doesn't seem too impressed by Starmer's intervention: https://twitter.com/Alain_Tolhurst/status/1044540809197105152 11.

Alex Massie

The dreadful state of British politics | 25 September 2018

Conference season always shows our political parties at their worst. It would be a kindness if these things were not televised. These dungeons cannot withstand the intrusion of too much daylight. On the other hand, some things are evident. Chiefly, it is now beyond clear that Brexit has broken both parties. More than that, it has overwhelmed a hopelessly overmatched political class that plainly lacks the ability to make sense of the Brexit fiasco and, just as pertinently, the courage to look reality in the face. This government - this hopeless government, I should say - is kept alive by only one thing: the impossibility of the opposition. In turn, this opposition is given hope by only one thing: the clattering uselessness of this government.

Katy Balls

Keir Starmer’s Brexit speech triggers Labour barney

Well, that lasted long. From the moment Keir Starmer left the conference stage after setting out Labour's Brexit position, rumours began to circulate that all wasn't as it seemed. When the shadow Brexit secretary spoke in the conference hall this morning, he received a standing ovation for pledging to keep all options open on Brexit – including the option to remain in the EU; ‘Nobody is ruling out remain as an option.’ However, less than an hour later and dissent has broken out on the conference hall over the party position – and whether the shadow Brexit secretary correctly articulated the official policy. As Steerpike reports, that passage of the speech was not in the official text sent to hacks – leading to suggestions that it was not approved.

Steerpike

Scottish Labour leader’s conference snub

It’s fair to say to say that the leader of Scottish Labour, Richard Leonard has struggled to make his mark since he was elected in 2017. While the position used to automatically command respect as the figurehead of the dominant party north of the border, after several catastrophic elections, Labour and the position have been relegated to the periphery of Scottish politics while the Conservatives and SNP take up the main stage. But while Leonard may be used to being sidelined in Scotland, you would hope that he would receive a little more love and recognition at his own party conference in Liverpool. Unfortunately not. It appears that even the Labour party are struggling to remember who their Scottish leader is.

Steerpike

Keir Starmer goes off script in Brexit conference speech

This year's Labour conference has been praised for adopting a more professional tone than previous years. However, today that message appears to have been lost. After the party pulled plans at the last minute for a female deputy leader, Keir Starmer appears to have gone off script in his big Brexit conference speech. https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1044532574255636480 The shadow Brexit secretary was met with applause when he appeared to keep the idea of a second EU referendum on the table – announcing: 'Nobody is ruling out remain as an option.' Only John McDonnell did just this yesterday when he said any second referendum would be 'deal or no deal'. Curiously, Keir's line isn't on the speech text briefed out by Labour. Has Starmer gone off script without approval? P.S.

Fredrik Erixon

Sweden’s PM is out – but for how long?

If Theresa May feels a bit disoriented and lonely – under pressure from her own friends in parliament – she could take some comfort in that she isn’t trying to run a government in Sweden. The country’s election delivered an inconclusive result. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and his red-green coalition government lost a lot of its support, but the four-party centre-right alliance didn’t win many new souls. No side commands a majority – or something remotely close to it. The only parties that made substantial gains were those that no other party wants to take into government – the extreme left and the populist-nationalist Sweden Democrats. This morning the new parliament voted to kick Stefan Löfven and his government out of power.

The Spectator

Full text: Keir Starmer’s Labour conference speech on Brexit

Conference, the last two years have not been easy. Like many of you, I was devastated by the referendum result. Like many of you, I’d campaigned passionately to stay in the EU. Not for the technical benefits – important though they are. But because I’m an internationalist. Because I believe that nations achieve more together than they do alone. I believe that the greatest challenges facing our nation –  armed conflict, terrorism, climate change or  unchecked globalisation – can best be met together with our EU partners. And the greatest opportunities –  medical research, scientific advancement, art and culture – can only be realised together with our EU partners.

Katy Balls

Corbyn and Watson rift claims its first victim: a new female deputy

The Tom Watson/Jeremy Corbyn feud has claimed its first conference victim: a female deputy leader. Plans to create a new deputy leader role specifically for a female have been dropped this morning at the last minute after Corbyn's team grew nervous – and blame is being placed firmly with his deputy Tom Watson. When the role was first thought up, it was seen as a way to undermine Watson – a man who has firmly fallen out of favour with the Corbyn regime – while also scoring some points politically for promoting women. After all, Labour are behind the Tories on gender equality here thanks to the fact they have never had a female leader. However, I understand things started to go wrong for the Corbynistas when Tom Watson actually got on board with the idea.

Steerpike

Watch: Kate Hoey’s Brexit warning to Corbynistas

The Corbynistas don't have much time for Kate Hoey, the Labour MP and ardent Brexiteer. Owen Jones accused Hoey of propping up a government that is leading Britain 'into calamity' by refusing to vote down the Tories over Brexit. But the MP for Vauxhall has a message for her critics: it isn't me you should worry about. Instead, Hoey said, Corbyn's supporters should keep an eye on the likes of Chuka Umunna and other Labour MPs calling for a second referendum. Their support for a 'people's vote' has little to do with Brexit, she said, and more to do with trying to make life difficult for Jeremy Corbyn.

Steerpike

Through the looking glass: Labour’s future foreign policy

To the dismay of many of Jeremy Corbyn's parliamentary colleagues, foreign policy is the Labour leader's main passion. Corbyn rarely appears more animated than when discussing the plight of Palestinians – or lambasting the Saudi Arabian government. So, Mr S listened with interest as Corbyn's closest allies gathered at Labour conference for a Stop the War fringe event. Corbyn adviser (and former Communist Party of Britain member) Andrew Murray was joined by shadow cabinet members Richard Burgon and Diane Abbott along with Chris Williamson for the packed event titled Why We Need An Anti-War Government. To kick proceedings off, Williamson said the party was making history: 'We often talk about recapturing the spirit of 1945 and I honestly feel that we're in that moment right now.

Tom Goodenough

Why Labour’s Brexit MPs are finally feeling more upbeat

Kate Hoey has paid a heavy price for being a supporter of Brexit. The Labour MP has been hounded online and faced a vicious deselection battle in her Vauxhall constituency from activists who say that she has no place representing an area in which nearly eight in ten voters backed ‘Remain’. But rather than change her mind, Hoey has stuck to her guns. At a Labour Leave event on the fringes of the party’s conference in Liverpool, Hoey had a message for her critics: there’s no contradiction in backing Brexit and being a leftie. Hoey wasn’t the only Labour MP making that point at last night’s event.

The Spectator

Labour’s conference, day three: The Spectator guide

It's Brexit day at Labour conference: Keir Starmer will be on his feet in the conference hall this morning, detailing the party's plan for leaving the EU. Diane Abbott and Emily Thornberry will also be speaking. And there's plenty of action on the fringes, including Tom Watson – who was sidelined from the main stage – popping up: Labour conference: 9:30: Morning Plenary Session: NEC and CLP Constitutional Amendments 10:10: Brexit and the economy Brexit secretary Keir Starmer 12.30: Rebecca Long-Bailey 12:40: Votes 1415: Afternoon Plenary Session: 14:45: Emily Thornberry 14:30: Security at home and abroad 17.10: Diane Abbott 17:30: Votes   Fringe events: 10:00: If Not Leave, What?

Monday

Isabel Hardman

Labour Left plans to force Jeremy Corbyn into deselection process to make a point

Jeremy Corbyn could be subject to a trigger ballot designed for the deselection of MPs, under plans discussed tonight by members of one of his most supportive party groups. The Labour Representation Committee, from which both Corbyn and John McDonnell hail, met this evening to discuss how to get its way when it comes to party democracy. Save for when McDonnell popped in to thank the LRC for continuing to organise when it looked as though the Left would never win a foothold in the party, the mood was one of frustration. Members were largely cheerful yet also irritated that plans for ‘open selections’ - more commonly known as mandatory re-selection - hadn’t made it into the party’s rule book this week.

Fraser Nelson

Could Theresa May win back her majority? Yes she can, says Ruth Davidson

When a politician writes a personal book, it’s normally coded audition for the party leadership. Ruth Davidson launched book, Yes She Can, with a declaration that she didn’t want to be Prime Minister and earlier on this evening she explained why to Andrew Neil. The idea of her as leader was started by David Cameron, she said. When visiting her in Scotland, he was asked who he’d like to succeed him and pointed to her. “I’ve been dogged by that ever since,” she said, “so I thought I’d lay that to rest.” While also laying out her own politics, and the direction she'd like wants the party to take. Why is she unfit for No10? To start with, she said, she's a former journalist.

Isabel Hardman

Labour’s welfare reform problem

Angela Rayner, one of the 'rising stars' of Jeremy Corbyn's frontbench, received rapt applause from Labour members when she spoke to the conference. It wasn't just that she gave a passionate, warm and funny speech. It was also that she came armed with policies that the party faithful really liked, such as ending the academisation of schools and halting the free schools programme. Even though the roots of these school reforms are in New Labour, they've become steadily more unpopular since the Conservatives extended and modified the programmes themselves. Announcing their end as part of Labour's National Education Service was always going to be a popular move.