1 hour ago QUENTIN LETTS: 'She's not a lawyer,' Starmer snapped at Kemi. In his book, there's no worse insult

Here is what I saw when Sir Keir Starmer, MP, KC, PM, rose to his hind legs to try to ambush Kemi Badenoch on the Jonathan Powell-'China spying' affair.

Politics

2 h. ago QUENTIN LETTS: 'She's not a laywer,' Starmer snapped at Kemi in his book... there's no worse insult

Here is what I saw when Sir Keir Starmer, MP, KC, PM, rose to his hind legs to try to ambush Kemi Badenoch on the Jonathan Powell-'China spying' affair.

Politics

20 h. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Only Starmer could utter a word like 'statespersonship' without irony...

Sir Keir Starmer, inflating himself like something rubbery and faintly spermicidal, told Kemi Badenoch she was not a 'serious statesperson'.

Politics

43 h. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Kemi picked Jarvis's argument clean like a Chinatown waiter deboning crispy duck

On autumn evenings you can still believe Westminster to be the Thames eyot the Saxons called 'Thorney Island'. Mists descend. The air tastes of leaf-mould.

Politics

5 d. ago We all know Brexit’s to blame for the crisis facing UK steel

With British industry faltering, the excuse that the public wants this is risible. Parliament must force Starmer to actWhile Keir Starmer fiddles in India, Rome burns. The British steel industry now faces a calamity so severe, insiders say it could be “terminal”. The vast majority – 80% – of its output is exported to the EU, which this week revealed plans to cut tariff-free steel import quotas by almost half. The remainder will be subject to a 50% tariff. The UK steel industry will be butchered. Thank you, EU. Thank you, Brexit.Whenever I meet politicians who championed Brexit nowadays, I ask them a simple question: do you still think you were right? A few fools mutter, “Yes, on balance” and “In the long term, perhaps.” The honest ones shrug and look uncomfortable. We can all accept that some day a new generation of British politicians will resume open trade across the Channel. It is normal for an island, and makes sense. So I ask the honest ones: why not go public? Make a headline,...

Events

5 d. ago We all know Brexit’s to blame for the crisis facing UK steel – it’s time for politicians to be honest and reverse it | Simon Jenkins

With British industry faltering, the excuse that the public wants this is risible. Parliament must force Starmer to actWhile Keir Starmer fiddles in India, Rome burns. The British steel industry now faces a calamity so severe, insiders say it could be “terminal”. The vast majority – 80% – of its output is exported to the EU, which this week revealed plans to cut tariff-free steel import quotas by almost half. The remainder will be subject to a 50% tariff. The UK steel industry will be butchered. Thank you, EU. Thank you, Brexit.Whenever I meet politicians who championed Brexit nowadays, I ask them a simple question: do you still think you were right? A few fools mutter, “Yes, on balance” and “In the long term, perhaps.” The honest ones shrug and look uncomfortable. We can all accept that some day a new generation of British politicians will resume open trade across the Channel. It is normal for an island, and makes sense. So I ask the honest ones: why not go public? Make a headline,...

Politics

7 d. ago QUENTIN LETTS: As Bobby J held the wig, one almost expected it to bite him back, like Rod Hull's Emu

After stern words about the 'anti-British' attorney general Lord Hermer, Mr Jenrick turned to the audience and said, 'now you might be wondering what I have in this box'.

Politics

8 d. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Sir Mel, fresh as a porpoise, gave a splendid speech. Alas, few were there to hear it

Dawn brought news from the office of Sir Melvyn Stride, Shadow Chancellor: 'Ten Things You Didn't Know About Mel.'

Politics

8 d. ago QUENTIN LETTS: The sight of Maggie's old outfits at Tory conference is creepy. It's time for the party to end its obsession with her if it is to have any chance of a revival

Before the Conservatives win any election they will need to chime with 21st-century Britain and its voters. To use a German word, they will need to find the zeitgeist, writes Quentin Letts.

Politics

1 week ago QUENTIN LETTS: Kemi Badenoch stood there, small, still, musing in that smoky voice... not shouting like a larky fake

Arriving ath the Tory Party conference, writes QUENTIN LETTS, it could have been day one of a county cricket match (division two).

Politics

2 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Ambitious Ed took ownership of the PM. Maybe, just maybe, he could seize the helm again...

When we could all have done with some soothing liniment, up stepped Ed Miliband to create a fresh squall of argy-bargy. It was the last morning of Labour's tetchy conference.

Politics

2 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: For a grinding hour, Sir Keir pulverised the nation into a powder of boredom

Sir Keir Starmer lumbered on stage, clerical and boxy. His hair was scraped, the face shiny. A plodder newly released from the barber's chair. He did a walk of destiny.

Politics

2 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: She droned on and on like a robot with a bunged

She has gone the full Bernard Bresslaw. A horrible year in office has tarred Rachel Reeves's voice. It is deeper, more adenoidal. In her conference speech she kept honking.

Events

2 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: His eyeballs thrashed in their sockets during his BBC party conference interview... the Prime Minister was jolly cross

Reform bashing was everywhere. It cheered up the delegates. Charlatans, snake-oil salesmen, peddlers of division and hatred: these were but some of the insults hurled at Mr Farage's brigade.

Politics

3 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Bereft of ideas, plunging in the polls, Labour's come up with a patronising new buzzphrase. Give me strength

After the Big Society and Levelling-Up, we are now to be lectured about another opaque political idea, writes QUENTIN LETTS.

Politics

3 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Jutting his jaw and stiffening his neck, Ed Davey's Lib Dems speech was a performance rehearsed in front of a full

While Donald Trump was making a serious speech about 'the death of western Europe', writes QUENTIN LETTS, Sir Ed Davey was musing about sunshine and rollercoasters.

Politics

3 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Ed Davey's seesawing Dems don't know if they're Liberal or not

Here in sunny Bournemouth, amid the conference sound system's canned Vivaldi and the gentle burps (and worse) of Lib Dem activists during debates, you hear swipes at Sir Ed Davey.

Politics

3 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Is it time to retire the stunts? 'Nooo' the activists shouted, and Sir Big Ed beamed

Sir Big Ed arrived at his party conference with a marching band, writes QUENTIN LETTS, pretending to be a drummer. Soon he was dressing up to reflect his party conference 'buzz'...

Politics

3 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: If Starmer won't admit that his beloved human rights law is a democratic liability, he'll go the way of the Scottish Earl executed by the guillotine he invented

William Shakespeare would have savoured such a comeuppance. That priggish legalist Sir Keir Starmer has been snagged by, oops, the law.

Politics

4 w. ago QUENTIN LETTS: 'No courage, no judgement, no backbone,' thundered Kemi as just ONE Labour MP defended Keir Starmer

Just one Labour backbencher defended the absent Sir Keir Starmer. Name of Slinger, the Member for Rugby.

Events