Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.

Will 2019 be Corbyn’s year?

From our UK edition

It’s hard to think of a time when an opposition leader has had such a promising start to the new year. Jeremy Corbyn finds himself up against a prime minister who barely survived a confidence motion, with more than a third of the Conservative parliamentary party voting against her. The Tories have no majority of

Women with Balls podcast: Dame Helena Morrissey interview

From our UK edition

Dame Helena Morrissey has been described as the UK’s own superwoman thanks to the fact that she balances a high-flying City career as a financier with bringing up nine children. She’s also a rarity in the finance sector as a proud Brexiteer. So, I’m delighted to have Helena as my guest on the latest episode

Ivan Lewis resigns from Labour – what was his real motivation?

From our UK edition

As Parliament rises for the Christmas recess, Jeremy Corbyn ends the term one MP down. Ivan Lewis has this afternoon quit the party citing Corbyn’s response to allegations of Labour anti-Semitism as a motivating factor. Complicating matters is the fact that Lewis – a former Labour minister – has been suspended by the party since November

No.10 tussle with Home Office over immigration policy

From our UK edition

It’s the day of the government’s immigration white paper and what was supposed to be a Brexit deal vote winning announcement has descended into a Cabinet row. No.10 pressed ahead with the publication – and a briefing went out to hacks near 8pm. The delay has been put down to internal wrangling over several items

Can the government win back the DUP?

From our UK edition

Theresa May’s Christmas holidays will hold little in the way of festive cheer for the Prime Minister. In order to win last week’s confidence vote, May had to make a number of promises that will be difficult to keep. Top of that list is her pledge to win back the support of the DUP, the

Corbyn tables a motion of no confidence in May – will it backfire?

From our UK edition

After an afternoon of will-they-won’t-they over Labour’s threat to table a motion of no confidence, Jeremy Corbyn has told the Speaker he will do just this. However, where earlier reports suggested the no confidence vote would be in the government, it will now be in Theresa May herself. This is important because a confidence motion

Brussels reject Theresa May’s plea for backstop concessions

From our UK edition

Theresa May’s week has gone from bad to worse. In order to win the confidence vote tabled against her on Wednesday, May had to make several promises to her MPs: not to fight the next election, to get the DUP back on side – and to find a legally binding solution to the Irish backstop.

Tory pressure mounts on May to axe Karen Bradley

From our UK edition

How can Theresa May regain the confidence of the 117 Tory MPs who voted against her leadership? A big part of May’s pitch to her party on Wednesday night was that she would repair relations with the DUP – after the confidence and supply agreement broke down over the backstop. One idea now gaining momentum

How the Brexiteer rebels’ gamble could backfire

From our UK edition

As things stand, the number of MPs who have come out publicly to say they will back Theresa May in a confidence vote is enough to keep her in place. However, given that it is a secret ballot and there are still five hours to go until that vote, plenty could change between now and

Theresa May delivers a message of defiance to her Tory critics

From our UK edition

Theresa May has just given a defiant speech outside Downing Street in which she promised to ‘contest’ the confidence vote with ‘everything’ that she’s got. On the news that 48 confidence letters had been received by 1922 committee chairman Graham Brady, the Prime Minister said the only people a Tory leadership contest would benefit right

Tory MPs talk up a swift Christmas leadership contest

From our UK edition

Theresa May will tonight face a confidence vote by her MPs. Conservative MPs will vote on her fate early evening – and the results are expected to be counted immediately. The arrival of 48 letters took government figures by surprise last night. While it was clear May’s decision to shelve the vote on her Brexit

Why Theresa May has decided to postpone the Brexit vote

From our UK edition

Faced with a choice between a humiliating defeat or moving a vote in order to delay a humiliating defeat, Theresa May has plumped for the latter. This morning, cabinet sources say the Prime Minister made the decision to delay the vote on her Brexit deal. Despite No.10 insisting repeatedly this morning that the vote would

No.10 schedule emergency cabinet conference call

From our UK edition

Cabinet ministers have been invited to an 11.30am emergency conference call, Coffee House understands. Not in the diary until the last hour, this has led to speculation that Theresa May could be about to delay the vote. As one Cabinet minister told me this morning: ‘I don’t expect the vote to go ahead this week.’

Women with Balls podcast: the Liz Truss edition

From our UK edition

When Liz Truss took to the stage at the Spectator’s Parliamentarian of the Year awards, she used her speech to send up her Cabinet colleagues and boss – cracking jokes about the indefinite length of the backstop, Karen Bradley’s loose grasp of history and – in a dig at her own department – called for