“People live by narrative,” Boris Johnson told the Atlantic’s Tom McTague, for a long and revealing profile this week that explains quite a lot about how Johnson views the secret of his political success. But the House of Commons is an arena where fact, argument and repartee tend to count more than narrative and that … Read more
Surveillance indicators suggest that at a national level Covid-19 activity increased slightly in [the week ending Sunday 23 May]. Case rates have increased or stayed level across all age groups. Case rates … were highest in those aged 10 to 19, with a case rate of 55.2 per 100,000 population. The lowest case rates continued … Read more
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson rejected criticism from his former adviser Dominic Cummings on Wednesday, saying he did not accept Cummings’ accusation that government inaction led to unnecessary deaths. Asked by opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer whether he accepted the central allegations of Cummings’ testimony to a parliamentary committee, Johnson said “No.” “I don’t think … Read more
Greg Clark is asking the questions now. Q: Did you engage in unauthorised briefings? Cummings says generally he did not engage with the media. He says that drove the media mad, because in the past people in his position had not done that. But he says he did speak to Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC’s political … Read more
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have declared that eight new English freeports – announced in the Budget – will be a “transformational” benefit from Brexit. But officials disclosed on Sunday that recent post-Brexit trade agreements with 23 different countries included clauses that specifically prohibit manufacturers in freeport-type zones from benefiting from the … Read more
There’s something in what you’re saying here but I don’t think it’s fair to pin this result on one individual. Paul [Williams] was a good, credible candidate … The problem runs far, far deeper than that. People don’t trust the Labour party. I’ve seen focus group holding where people were presented with a policy and … Read more
Good morning. Boris Johnson faces a difficult PMQs later – as Aubrey Allegretti and Jessica Elgot report in their overnight story, pressure is growing for him to offer a proper account of the funding of his Downing Street flat – but there is also a fair amount of coronavirus news around today. The science committee … Read more