Today’s Budget has been billed as make or break for the Chancellor, and no one can deny that he is in a difficult spot. He’s become the target of the more avid Brexiteers for sounding a note of caution and amongst the public for failing to put austerity aside. Here is our Budget analysis. The politics has been fierce with ministers, civic servants and others using national platforms to beg for more investment, while behind the scenes there has been bitter infighting with re-writes still being finalised last night. So, what did we get? Well a surprisingly amusing speech at […]

Priti Vacant, Chancellor Faces Budget Rebellion, Javid Jostles for Budget Funding and Tweeting Theresa     Priti Vacant They say a week is a long time in politics. For the Conservative Member of Parliament for Witham however, time has flown Priti fast. The now former International Development Secretary was ordered to fly back immediately from Kenya from what was supposed to be three-country visit with International Trade Secretary Liam Fox. Patel’s ministerial career ended abruptly after a BBC investigation revealed that the MP had met with senior politicians while on a family holiday in Israel and discussed official departmental business. […]

This week party conference season drew to a close and things have certainly been eventful. The Lib Dems managed to unintentionally provide a few laughs as new leader Vince Cable claimed he could be the next Prime Minister. At Labour Party conference, Jeremy Corbyn cemented his grip on the party and is now looking stronger than ever. And who could forget Theresa May’s disaster-ridden speech to Tory Party conference as even the stage began to fall apart? Chelgate Public Affairs brings you all the essential highlights from each of the party conferences this autumn.   Liberal Democrats – Misguided Optimism? […]

Against a backdrop of a downbeat party, an opposition riding high in the polls, Boris, and a nasty cough, this was never going to be an easy speech for Theresa May. And it wasn’t. In the run up to the conference, when the Tories are traditionally rallying around demonstrating why people voted for them and poking fun at Labour factionalism, the Tories were facing their own bout of the Bojos and wondering who would be delivering the Leader’s speech next year. Never one of politics natural orators Theresa May took to the stage looking fragile, and indeed, she delivered a […]

  Brexit blues On Monday 11 September, Members of Parliament voted on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. Once dubbed the Great Repeal Bill (Which Chelgate Local took a closer look at – read their analysis here), the ‘Great’ has now been dropped – perhaps an acknowledgement that all is not well on the ship supposed to be steering us out of the EU. Brexit Secretary David Davis warned MPs ahead of the vote not to derail the Bill and cause a ‘chaotic’ Brexit. Most Tory MPs took heed of the warning, with just one pro-Remain MP (Ken Clarke) choosing to deliberately abstain. […]

After much speculation, the Government has now published details of its so-called Great Repeal Bill. It is safe to say that majority of people will have found it a great disappointment. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, bringing an end to Britain’s membership of the European Union. European laws will no longer take precedence over UK laws and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice will be removed. So just how much control are we taking back? Untangling European law will be a messy affair. In reality, if and when the Bill becomes […]