The traditional swing states that pick US Presidents are moving over into the parties’ blocs. — By Sam Shenton | 8th November 2018 Most political commentators have on-going nightmares about the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida. Swinging the election to George W. Bush after a series of recounts and Court – including Supreme Court – decisions, Florida marked itself out as the key swing state in…

Tory MPs must support the Prime Minister, but these next few weeks will prove it cannot be a one-way-street. — By Sam Shenton | 23rd October 2018 Theresa May will face the 1922 committee for a voluntary meeting, or show-down, with her back-benches tomorrow. The Prime Minister faces an impasse; the European Union won’t agree to her Chequers Proposal nor unlock the Brexit talks without some form of concession on…

Whatever it is Boris Johnson now does, it has come to be seen not just through the prism of his leadership ambitions, but through that of the EU Referendum. — When Boris Johnson walked away from the podium in June 2016, he had gone through all the highs and lows British politics has to offer in a matter of days. He’d led Vote Leave to a successful referendum victory, been stabbed in the back by his colleague Michael Gove, who…

The Conservative (and Unionist) Party must decide what comes first: their commitment to post-Brexit trade deals, or the United Kingdom itself. — Theresa May’s leadership may have been given a small boost from the better-than-expected local election results, but the issue of post-Brexit customs is still causing a headache for her government and for the wider Conservative Party. May must seek to balance those like Anna Soubry, joined in the awkward corner…

Theresa May’s former Chief Whip left just in time to ensure his reputation is in tact for a future leadership fight. — Heads turned in Westminster as №10 announced the man tasked with replacing Sir Michael Fallon as Secretary of State for Defence, one of the most important cabinet roles and one that had been held by Fallon since 2014, demonstrating one of few examples of continuity between the Cameron and May…

The EU Referendum has poisoned politics with artificial division. — Ask yourself who you think the ‘hard Right’ of the Conservative Party are. Who comes to mind? Backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg? Former Leader and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith? Or how about the Prime Minster herself, with her tougher stance on immigration, comments about “citizens of nowhere” targeted at…

Most of the discourse/ complaints around the issue appears to be about “powers”, when these aren’t the main issue at stake. The EU Withdrawal Bill technically withdraws not a single power from any of the devolved legislatures/ executives. It is not in itself an attack on devolution. What it does…