Tom Goodenough

Tom Goodenough

Tom Goodenough is online editor of The Spectator.

The Spectator podcast: Ex Labour advisor calls on Corbyn’s enemies to act

From our UK edition

Jeremy Corbyn’s enemies within the Labour party are known to be dreaming about a time after his leadership. But why aren’t his opponents doing anything about getting rid of him? According to former Labour party advisor John McTernan, they should do it sooner rather than later. Speaking on the Spectator podcast this week, McTernan said: ‘If you’re going to assassinate someone, you chop off their head, you then chop them into pieces and bury them around the town. You don’t argue to yourself about the who right candidate is and when the right time is. He is the cause of his own assassination. No other cause is required. If you want rid of him, get rid of him.

Ted Cruz defeats Donald Trump in Wisconsin Republican race

From our UK edition

Donald Trump has been dealt a major blow in his bid to wrap up the Republican nomination after Ted Cruz's victory overnight in Wisconsin. Cruz's victory speech was laced with apparent providence, suggesting that he is now the man to take the Republicans forward. He said that the state has 'lit a candle guiding the way', before going on to proclaim the win as a key moment in the race for the GOP's nomination: 'Tonight is a turning point, it is a rallying cry to the people of America. We are winning because we are uniting the Republican Party.' But although Cruz was keen to talk up the significance of the victory, Trump - despite having been dealt a blow in defeat - still isn't dead and buried yet.

Icelandic PM resigns over Panama Papers revelations

From our UK edition

Iceland's Prime Minister has become the first politician to step down over the Panama Papers leak. Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson has today resigned following allegations his family invested millions of pounds in an offshore firm. The Icelandic PM's position had looked increasingly untenable since the story emerged yesterday. After the revelations in the Panama Papers, crowds surrounded the Parliament in Reykjavik calling for Gunnlaugsson - who has been the country's leader since 2013 - to step down. And in a country which is particularly sensitive to allegations of financial shadiness following the 2008 financial crash, it seemed obvious that this was going to go only one way.

Brexit won’t ruin Premiership football but it might spoil the Championship

From our UK edition

For football fans, June 10th – the day Euro 2016 kicks off – is likely to be a more exciting prospect than June 23rd – when Britain votes on whether to stay in the EU. But could lovers of the beautiful game see English football become unstuck in the event of Brexit? Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League has said Britain should stay in the EU; West Ham’s vice chairman Karren Brady has made a similar argument, suggesting that Brexit would have ‘devastating consequences’. But not everyone agrees: former England player Sol Campbell says that with Britain in the EU ‘mediocre overseas footballers, especially from Europe (are) crowding out young English and British talent’.

Cyprus hijacker ‘detains Brits, while letting Egyptian passengers go’

From our UK edition

A number of British passengers are believed to be amongst those being held hostage on a hijacked EgyptAir plane which has landed in Cyprus. The jet - which took off from Alexandra in Egypt and had been due to fly to Cairo - had 81 passengers on board. Most of those, including 51 Egyptians have been let go, according to the airline which said only the crew and four foreign national passengers remained on the plane which is currently sitting on the tarmac at Larnaca International Airport. Details are still sketchy on exactly what the motives for the hijacking are but there are reports suggesting that the hijacker is attempting to claim political asylum in Cyprus. Egypt Air have said in a statement: https://twitter.

Today in audio: Mitt Romney brands Trump a ‘phony’

From our UK edition

Mitt Romney launched an outspoken attack on Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, branding the billionaire businessman a 'phony' and a 'fraud'. He said Trump's promises are as 'worthless as a degree from Trump university': Romney, who ran for the Presidency in 2012, went on to say Donald Trump had inherited his business and slated his past ventures: Elsewhere, during a joint press conference with David Cameron, Francois Hollande said he didn't want to scare anyone but insisted there would be 'consequences' if Britain left the EU.

Sir Jeremy Heywood strikes a delicate balance over Brexit papers ban

From our UK edition

It was perhaps rather optimistic to hope that the row over Eurosceptic ministers being banned from seeing official papers in the lead-up to the EU referendum would be cleared up in one select committee session alone. But Sir Jeremy Heywood's appearance in front of MPs did manage to demystify some of the confusion over what will and won't be handed over to pro-Brexit ministers. The cabinet secretary and head of the civil service said those wanting out of the EU will get access to 'all the facts that have been provided to Number Ten'. Bernard Jenkin seemed happy with proceedings at least, saying at the end: 'We have successfully cleared up this problem that ministers are going to see all the facts they want to see.

Today in audio: Bored Bercow lashes out

From our UK edition

John Bercow hit out at Greg Hands for his 'long-winded, boring and unnecessary' answer in the Commons: Ken Livingstone said that his history of rebellions, as well as those rebellions orchestrated by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, proved they were right: The former London mayor also said Labour was 'completely out of kilter with the membership' and that it was time for Labour MPs to come to terms with Corbyn: George Osborne had a dig at Labour's appointment of Yanis Varoufakis.

Brexit won’t mean more expensive flights for Brits. Here’s why.

From our UK edition

We’ve been warned that Brexit could spell the end of cheap travel. But is it really true that Britain voting out of Europe would hit holidaymakers in the pocket? Easyjet’s boss Dame Carolyn McCall said before that Brexit ‘wouldn’t be good for Britain’. And in a company prospectus, the airline warned this year that if Britain votes out in the EU referendum in June, then it could have a ‘material adverse effect’ on the budget airline. But does this hold up to scrutiny? Easyjet says that: ‘The outcome of this decision (in the referendum) could have a material adverse effect on easyJet’s financial condition and results of operations.’ Obviously for passengers, bad financial conditions for a company mean rising ticket prices.

Today in audio: Brexit, the BBC and Corbyn’s dress sense

From our UK edition

David Owen said it was time for Britain to leave the EU. Speaking this morning, the SDP founder said Brexit was a way of restructuring Europe in the way it needed to be. Owen went on to say there was no need for Britain leaving behind the EU to be a damaging process: Dame Janet Smith published her review into Jimmy Savile at the BBC. She said the management structure of the BBC was deeply referential. Janet Smith - whose report was criticised as an 'expensive whitewash' - said staff didn't speak out 'because they felt it was not their place': The BBC's Lord Hall said it was a 'grim period' of the corporation's history.

Is the Jimmy Savile report really just an ‘expensive whitewash’?

From our UK edition

The Dame Janet Smith report into Jimmy Savile has already been labelled an 'expensive whitewash' by a lawyer representing 168 victims, just hours after it was published. The review found that BBC staff knew of complaints and allegations about the entertainer but that little was done to pursue them because of a culture of fear at the corporation. One of the most shocking parts of the report, aside from the details of Savile's own predatory actions, is tucked away in the review's summary. Dame Janet Smith writes that: 'It is clear that a number of BBC staff had heard rumours, stories or jokes about Savile to the effect that, in some way, his sexual conduct was inappropriate.' The review goes on to say that some passed off these rumours as 'amusing' but did little about them.

Today in audio: Philip Davies and David Cameron’s ‘loving hug’

From our UK edition

Bernard Hogan-Howe was up in front of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee today where Keith Vaz did his best to soften up the Met Police commissioner at the start of the hearing by asking him for his views on the EU referendum. But Hogan-Howe said he wasn't getting involved: Whilst on the subject of Lord Bramall and Lord Brittan, Hogan-Howe resolutely maintained his position.

David Cameron on Boris: He’s a ‘great friend’ but he’s wrong

From our UK edition

David Cameron must be getting fed up with questions about Boris by now but unfortunately for the Prime Minister they're not going to go away anytime soon. That much was clear in his public press conference this morning. The PM managed to avoid making direct reference to Boris during his speech, in which he again played up the fact he has no vested interests involved with needing to fight another election, unlike his old friend. But after being asked directly whether he was referring to Boris in his speech in Parliament, Cameron could ignore the thorn in his side no longer. Here's what he said about Boris: 'I have huge respect for Boris as a politician and a great friend of mine, he's a fantastic Mayor of London. I think he's got a lot to give to the Conservative party and to this country.

Bromley has spoken: South London council backs Brexit – but why?

From our UK edition

First, it was Michael Gove. Next, it was Boris Johnson. Now, a slightly smaller political beast in the form of Bromley council has come out and backed Brexit. The South London council voted last night to say it believed Britain was better off out of Europe. It passed a motion saying: This council agrees that the negative impacts that the European Union has upon the efficiency and costs of Bromley Council activities mean Bromley Council would be better off if Britain was out of the European Union Bromley isn't the first council to back Brexit, with Havering having done the same at the end of January. But what's different about Bromley is that it's the first Conservative council in the country to do so. In practice, the decision carries little weight.

Newspaper front pages dump on Cameron’s deal – again

From our UK edition

For David Cameron, the only upside to such a late agreement on his deal is that news didn't break in time for most of the first editions of the newspapers - do they cannot dump on him from quite such a height as they did last time (see picture at the bottom). But still, they're pretty discouraging. The Daily Mail is as unimpressed as ever. Its first edition led on 5,000 jihadis amongst EU immigrants: its later editions heaped further derision on Cameron's deal. Inside, its editorial is blistering. "All that lost sleep, and for what?... Gone are his commitments to ‘full-on treaty change’, war on bureaucracy, sovereignty for Westminster... Mr Cameron and George Osborne have amused us enough with their risible charade.

Spectator podcast special: David Cameron’s EU deal

From our UK edition

[audioplayer src="http://rss.acast.com/viewfrom22/spectatorpodcastspecial-davidcameronseudeal/media.mp3" title="David Cameron seals the EU deal - but is it any good? Isabel Hardman, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson discuss" startat=18] Listen [/audioplayer] David Cameron has sealed an EU deal in Brussels - but is it any good? The Prime Minister said the renegotiation gives Britain 'special status' in the EU. Donald Tusk said there was unanimous support for the new settlement. But is the deal really as pivotal as the Prime Minister is suggesting? And what's next for David Cameron as he flies back to London for a special Cabinet meeting in the morning?

Watch: David Cameron hails EU deal as giving ‘special status’ to UK

From our UK edition

[audioplayer src="http://rss.acast.com/viewfrom22/spectatorpodcastspecial-davidcameronseudeal/media.mp3" title="Isabel Hardman, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson discuss the EU deal" startat=18] Listen [/audioplayer] A deal has finally been struck amongst EU leaders in an agreement hailed by David Cameron as giving 'special status' to Britain. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, the Prime Minister said: 'Within the last hour I have negotiated a deal to give the United Kingdom special status inside the European Union. I will fly back to London tonight and update the cabinet at 10am tomorrow morning. This deal has delivered on the commitments I made at the beginning of this negotiation process. Britain will be permanently out of ever-closer union, never part of a European superstate.

Briefing: What’s holding up EU leaders in Brussels?

From our UK edition

David Cameron is locked in negotiations with the other European leaders at the crunch summit in Brussels. With no sign of a deal, there is a chance the whole thing could drag on until Sunday. But what exactly are the issues that haven't been agreed? Here are the main areas which are proving a sticking point for the PM: Economic Governance: The Prime Minister wants recognition that the EU has more than one currency and that Britain won't be disadvantaged by not being within the Euro. As well as this, David Cameron is seeking assurances that British taxpayers will never be liable for propping up the Eurozone. The emergency brake: Another key factor being discussed is the issue of the emergency brake on in-work benefits for migrants.

EU summit: David Cameron arrives and vows to ‘get back in there’

From our UK edition

It's been a long night in Brussels and it's going to be a hard day ahead for David Cameron as he tries to strike a deal with other European leaders at the EU summit. The Prime Minister has now arrived and said he will 'do everything he can'. He added that 'some progress' had been made but there was still no deal: It looked earlier in the day as though Greece could veto the entire summit over the issue of migration. Polish Minister for European Affairs, Konrad Szymański, said it was a serious issue but maintained that he was confident it would be sorted: French President Francois Hollande said this morning that the proposals had changed overnight: The PM does have some allies around the table, however, including the Dutch PM.