How great political parties die
Though local polls and by-elections are notoriously unreliable guides to general elections, and a week is indeed a long time in politics, what happened at last week's local elections could portend one of the greatest changes in our political system in over a century: the permanent presence of Reform UK, and consequently the demise of our oldest political party, the Tories.
The Tories have been around in various forms since the reign of King Charles II, when party politics emerged as a rivalry between the Tories and the Whigs over the issue of whether to exclude James II from the throne on the basis of his Catholic faith. The two parties alternated in government throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and well into the 20th.
The Liberals, as the Whigs became under William Ewart Gladstone, stood for free trade, nonconformity in religion, a sceptical anti-imperialism, capitalist industrialisation, social progress and an end to the domination of an unelected landed aristocracy.
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The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
New Reform chair David Bull calls for return of death penalty
The new chairman of Reform UK has said there is a 'very strong case' for the death penalty - 24 hours after Nigel Farage said he would not support its reintroduction. Dr David Bull, a former medical doctor, has said he would support the return of capital punishment for criminals such as Axel Rudakabana, who murdered three girls in a mass stabbing at a children's dance class in Southport. 'For those people, I think there is a very strong case that I would support the death penalty,' Dr Bull, who succeeded Zia Yusuf as Reform's chairman on Tuesday. He also added to a row in Reform's ranks over burqas, calling for the religious covering to be banned, saying 'I don't like seeing people in them'. He added: 'I don't like seeing people in burqas. I feel particularly in East London, where I live, it certainly has divided the community. We've got a whole swathes of people not even speaking English, which I just think is not acceptable.' Dr Bull was unveiled as Reform's chairman at a press conference at which Mr Farage sought to put the chaotic saga of Mr Yusuf's sudden and unexpected departure - and swift return just days later - behind him. Asked for his thoughts on the death penalty, Mr Farage has said it is an 'issue of conscience', likening it to the debate over assisted dying. He said: 'Personally, given there have been 500 quite serious miscarriages of justice in this country since the 1970s, I don't think I could ever support it. But I understand why others take a different view. 'I think it is quite interesting that the younger generation seem to increasingly support the death penalty… it will be back in the next decade as an issue of major national debate.' The death penalty was fully abolished in the UK in 1998. Asked about his view on the Reform row about banning burqas, he said he had wider concerns about face coverings. He added: 'Do I think in cultural terms the burqa fits in with the British way of life? Not really, no.' Former television presenter Dr Bull was announced as the party's chairman at a press conference in Westminster, as Mr Farage told reporters that his job would be to "give leadership" and "not to get involved with the admin". The appointment of Dr Bull, who previously presented Watchdog, Tomorrow's World and Most Haunted Live! comes after businessman Mr Yusuf resigned from the position last week following an internal row over the party's position on the burqa. Mr Yusuf said he was "hugely excited" that former MEP Dr Bull was taking the role. "This party is no longer a start-up," Mr Yusuf told reporters. "I think it's gone to a scale-up phase ... the reality is what we need now in a chairman is someone who is an incredible communicator, someone who's loved universally across the party ... someone who's going to I think do a better job than me at energising volunteers on the front line." "I wholeheartedly congratulate him and I know he's going to do an incredible job for us," he added. Mr Farage said Dr Bull would come to the chairman's role with "terrific verve, energy, enthusiasm". He described Dr Bull as a "terrific communicator" and that his "job is not to get involved with the admin, is not to get involved in the tech" but rather is to "give leadership to that volunteer army out there of people". Mr Farage also said it is "very good" that the new chairman has television experience, telling reporters that "message delivery and simplicity of message in politics is very important". Mr Yusuf returned to Reform over the weekend, just 48 hours after he quit, saying he had made an "error". His departure followed a row, in which he said the party's newest MP, Sarah Pochin's question to the prime minister about banning the burqa was "dumb".
Telegraph
15 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Rayner rough sleeping plan ‘could lead to San Francisco-style tent cities'
Angela Rayner's plans to decriminalise rough sleeping could lead to San Francisco-style tent cities in Britain, the Tories have warned. The Deputy Prime Minister announced on Tuesday that the Vagrancy Act, introduced in 1824 to tackle a worsening homelessness crisis after the Industrial Revolution, will be repealed by next spring. However, the Tories claimed the plans would create a 'charter for chaos' if Labour failed to replace the repealed Act with new offences to tackle nuisance rough sleeping and begging. The Tories' proposals for repealing the Act when they were in government included two offences that would have given police powers to prosecute nuisance beggars and rough sleeping, which covered any damage they did to property and the environment including 'excessive' noise, litter and waste. Labour insists the police will be able to tackle nuisance begging and rough sleeping by using existing powers in the Crime and Policing Act of 2014, which were created to combat anti-social behaviour. Ms Rayner has also proposed new laws to target organised begging by gangs and trespassing with intention to commit a crime to replace powers in the Act which will be repealed. The row comes during a sharp rise in homelessness which has led to encampments sprouting up even in some of the most prosperous areas of cities. Last September, rough sleepers set up a camp of some 24 tents on Park Lane in central London. The number of people classed as living on the streets in London has risen by more than a third (38 per cent) year-on-year to 706 from 511, according to figures for April. The number recorded as sleeping rough in the capital has also increased by 8 per cent, to 4,427 in the three months to March this year, from 4,118 in the same quarter last year. 'Charter for chaos' Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: 'Ms Rayner's plans are a charter for chaos. The Government is repealing legislation without providing an adequate replacement. 'The police will not have the powers needed to ensure that high streets and town and city centres are kept clear of nuisance rough sleeping. 'Of course, people need to be helped and supported but the police also need the powers to take action when necessary to maintain order in city centres and maintain a pleasant environment for the majority. 'This move risks turning British cities into a version of San Francisco, which has become overrun by encampments of homeless people. 'We need to ensure support but there needs to be strong enforcement powers as well.' But in a letter to MPs Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said the Government was 'satisfied that generally where nuisance begging meets the threshold of anti-social behaviour, it is open to the police and others to use the existing powers in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014'. She said the Home Office would issue statutory guidance to police to 'make this clear' so officers could tackle nuisance begging that caused distress to the public and residents. Two new offences will replace powers which were in the Vagrancy Act, she added. An offence of arranging or facilitating begging for gain would target people who organised begging gangs or drove people to places for them to beg. It would carry a maximum sentence of six months in jail. An offence of trespassing with intent to commit a criminal offence would replicate the one already in the 1824 act with a maximum penalty of three months in jail. Ms Rayner has also secured an extra £233 million this financial year to provide a total of nearly £1 billion for support services to divert homeless people away from the street and rough sleeping and into accommodation.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
UK government hopes to regain political initiative as Treasury chief outlines spending plans
Britain's Labour government hopes to regain the political initiative Wednesday when Treasury chief Rachel Reeves sets out her spending plans for the coming years, with big increases expected for health, defense and housing. Reeves, who has been blamed by many for Labour's decline in popularity since it returned to power after 14 years in July, will outline the government's spending and investment priorities for lawmakers. There will be no tax announcements. Reeves is expected to argue the government is on the path to 'renewing Britain' but that 'too many people in too many parts of the country are yet to feel it,' according to remarks issued by the Treasury. 'This government's task — my task — and the purpose of this spending review is to change that, to ensure that renewal is felt in people's everyday lives, their jobs, their communities," she is expected to tell lawmakers. Labour won a landslide victory last year on a slogan of 'change' and voter anger at the Conservative administration in power at the time, but its vote share was historically low for a winning party at 35%. In the months since, Labour has been overtaken in opinion polls by the anti-immigration and recently formed Reform U.K. Reeves has been blamed by many for Labour's struggles, not least her decision in July to withdraw a winter fuel subsidy to all but the poorest retirees. The outcry, which contributed to Labour's poor performance in recent local elections, prompted Reeves to about-turn and raise the threshold at which retirees will get the subsidy. She and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hope the change will stem the anger and focus voters on other issues, such as its spending priorities. Among the main announcements is expected to be a 30 billion-pound ($41 billion) increase in funding for Britain's cherished but struggling National Health Service, as well as a rise in defense spending that will account for 2.5% of national output by 2027. Billions more are expected for social housing as the government aims to meet its target of building 1.5 million new homes by the next election. However, some departments are set to lose out after accounting for inflation, including local government, the justice system and the Home Office. Reeves has insisted she won't go on a big splurge, arguing that all her spending plans will meet her self-imposed fiscal rules. After raising taxes on business in her first budget last October, Reeves will find it difficult to swell the Treasury's coffers further in coming years as Labour won the election on a promise it would not increase income or sales taxes. And with the British economy still growing at historically low levels, the tax take is not expected to get a big lift. Reeves will hope her investment plans can help change that.
