Roderick Crawford: We have interests in the rest of Europe, but must be free to run our own foreign policy

by Jason Tyler | 6th July 2020 | Brexit, Europe, General, Politics

Roderick Crawford works on conflict resolution in countries such as Yemen, South Sudan and Iraq, and on Brexit-related matters. He is a former editor of Parliamentary Brief. One could be forgiven a sense of déjà vu as we enter the second round of accelerated talks,...

There’s no good reason why Frost shouldn’t serve as National Security Adviser

by Jason Tyler | 1st July 2020 | Brexit, Europe, General, Politics

It is a thoroughly good thing when ex-Prime Ministers stay in the Commons, as Theresa May has, to give their fellow MPs the benefit of their views, knowledge and experience – that last being, as Oscar Wilde once put it, “the name we give our...

Jonathan Djanogly: Parliament should be able to scrutinise new trade deals properly. But the current arrangements are unfit for purpose.

by Jason Tyler | 29th June 2020 | Brexit, Europe, General, Politics

Jonathan Djanogly is a former Minister, and is MP for Huntingdon. Did we come through the Brexit process only for the UK Parliament to have less scrutiny over new free trade agreements than we had during our membership of the European Union? This is the question that...

Richard Holden: Here in Durham, Labour ponder tinkering with statues – while local people yearn for jobs, security and pay

by Jason Tyler | 22nd June 2020 | Brexit, Europe, General, Politics

Richard Holden is MP for North West Durham. Chatterbox Café, Marketplace, St John’s Capel, Weardale Grabbing a sausage bap (on brown, butter and brown sauce) and coffee (black, no sugar) from the Chatterbox Café in St John’s Chapel yesterday, I remembered it was...

David Gauke: Big Government is back. It didn’t work before. It may not now. Here’s why we should be wary of it.

by Jason Tyler | 20th June 2020 | Brexit, Europe, General, Politics

David Gauke is a former Justice Secretary, and was an independent candidate in South-West Hertfordshire at the recent general election. It is all but an inevitably that, post-Coronavirus, we will be in an era of big government. Even before anyone had heard of the...

Why Conservatives must get Britain’s nightlife going

by Jason Tyler | 18th June 2020 | Europe, General, Politics

Yesterday there was troublesome news for Westminster’s drinking aficionados. The council has reportedly been planning to ban drinking outside for fear of Covid-19 spikes. Although the council appears to have since u-turned on its decision, the debacle highlights...