Politics

Boris Johnson was forced onto the defensive in a fractious five-way debate on Tuesday night, coming under pressure on issues from Islamophobia to his plan to cut taxes for top earners. Johnson remains overwhelming favourite to be Britain’s next prime minister after winning the second round of voting among Conservative MPs convincingly, with 126 votes of the 313 cast. But in his first appearance in a televised debate, having spurned Sunday’s Channel 4 event, cracks appeared in some of his positions under scrutiny from viewers’ questions, and his rivals’ replies. Asked by Abdullah, an imam from Bristol, whether he accepted that “words have consequences”, Johnson claimed his comments – such as comparing Muslim women in burqas to “letterboxes” – were sometimes taken out of context. And he referred to his Muslim great-grandfather, whom he said came to Britain because it was “a beacon of generosity and openness”. He went … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson defensive, evasive, and favourite for No 10

After a second round of voting by MPs, with a third to come on Wednesday, the remaining five Tory party leadership contenders, including the frontrunner Boris Johnson, tested themselves in a BBC TV debate. It was a sometimes confusing and occasionally shouty hustings. But how did everyone do? Jeremy Hunt Overall pitch? The sensible grownup who isn’t Johnson. And, did he mention he’s an entrepreneur? Best line? To Boris Johnson about a sheep farmer if there was no deal: Worst moment? Attempting to wind back from his endorsement of Donald Trump’s tweet lambasting Sadiq Khan in a debate about prejudice and Islamophobia. “I am married to an immigrant,” he said, a bit awkwardly. What now? He keeps pushing on, and remains in second place, but an uninspiring performance will not boost his chances. Michael Gove Overall pitch? The original Brexiter, an experienced pair of hands – and an implacable opponent of Jeremy Corbyn. Best line? On being the first of … [Read more...] about BBC Conservative leadership debate – the winners and the losers

It was man-splay central on stage at the leadership debate tonight with the five male candidates sitting legs akimbo on their stools to bicker, battle and sometimes nod in agreement as they fielded a series of questions from the public. When a pack looks alike and moves alike the one looking and moving differently will always feel like a threat and that was the role the Mick Jagger of politics Rory Stewart took as the only candidate without a tie and with his feet plonked on the ground rather than on the footrest. As the others let rip with flurries of over-emphatic gesticulation and volleys of precision gestures that were supposed to make us believe they had very forensic plan for Brexit, Rory either fell forward in his chair with his head down like a puppet with the strings cut, or appeared to be doing some kind of calisthenics, stretching and looking round at times as though bored. When he spoke about the others’ plans his top lip rose in a sneer that revealed his top row of … [Read more...] about ‘It was man-splay central’

The leader of a borough council, which has overseen a Lynn business hub becoming around £1 million less than the amount loaned to it, has described the events as an "expensive learning process."Brian Long said these words as councillors agreed to an independent investigation into the King’s Lynn Innovation Centre (KLIC) during a cabinet meeting in the Town Hall this evening.The issue has been scrutinised since the building's operator, the Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES), failed to repay loans worth £2.75 million to the council last November.Chief executive of the borough council, Ray Harding, suggested a "cross-political group" should meet together in order to employ a person to lead the investigation.It is estimated the cost involved with such a process will be up to £1,000 per day.Mr Harding said this was a "necessary" price to pay for a well-qualified individual, judging by the quality of the CVs reviewed so far.Labour councillor Charles Joyce … [Read more...] about Investigation into KLIC loss ‘an expensive learning process’