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UK election: after Conservative sweep, what’s next for Brexit and beyond?

  “What does the Conservative election victory mean for Brexit?” By Dominic Walsh and Stephen Booth, courtesy of Open Europe   Boris Johnson’s Conservatives secured a comfortable parliamentary majority in yesterday’s general election. With just one seat left to declare, the Conservatives have 364 seats – a majority of 78. Labour have won just 203 […]

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Labour manifesto is a “step back into the dark ages”

  “IEA responds to Labour Party’s manifesto” Courtesy of the IEA   Commenting on the Labour manifesto, Director General at the Institute of Economic Affairs Mark Littlewood said: “With today’s tax burden now at a 50-year high, the Labour Party’s plan to hike taxes and borrow hundreds of billions of pounds cannot end well for […]

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Pro- and anti-Brexit electoral alliances start to take shape

“Pro- and anti-Brexit electoral alliances start to take shape” By Stephen Booth and Anthony Egan, courtesy of Open Europe   The UK’s general election campaign is yet to get into full swing. A few more details have emerged regarding the Brexit policies of the major parties but the most significant developments are how the parties […]

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“Brexit is not going to be the only game in town”

  “What matters to voters and who do they trust in this election?” By Professor Anthony Heath, Dr Lindsay Richards and Dan Snow, courtesy of UK In a Changing Europe   Historically, the state of the economy in the run-up to an election has been one of the best predictors of the outcome, and so it is not usually thought wise […]

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“Both parties have abandoned fiscal restraint”

  “Both parties have “abandoned fiscal restraint” in favour of more borrowing” By Prof. Syed Kamall, courtesy of IEA     Today’s election speeches show both parties have abandoned fiscal restraint in favour of increases in public spending to be paid for through extra borrowing.   The Labour Shadow Chancellor has pledged to more than […]

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UK politics is already transformed

  “The Brexodus of MPs will change the House Commons, whatever the election result” By Dr Alan Wager, courtesy of The UK in a Changing Europe   On Tuesday, Philip Hammond said that one of the Prime Minister’s objectives in calling an early general election was to change the face of the Conservative party.   […]

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Election is all about — wait for it — Brexit

  “This is the Brexit General Election” By David Shiels, courtesy of Open Europe   A General Election in the UK has been confirmed for 12 December. The Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2019 received Royal Assent yesterday, and the campaign will formally begin after the dissolution of Parliament next week.   Although there is […]

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Even after Brexit deal and election, UK will face hard questions

  “Even with a deal, even with an election, these Brexit questions will still need to be answered” By Helen Parr, courtesy of UK In a Changing Europe   Brexit seems deadlocked after the House of Commons voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement, but against the timetable to push the legislation through before 31 […]

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Brexit deal leaves future details wide open

  By David Shiels, courtesy of Open Europe   Tomorrow the House of Commons will sit for the first time on a Saturday since 1982. MPs will have the opportunity to approve or reject the revised Brexit deal, which was published by the Government and the European Commission yesterday.   In a press conference on […]

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Abolishing private schools is a bad idea (and impossible)

                      Labour’s plan to, in effect, abolish Britain’s private schools is pretty much the definition of pandering — a sensational and nakedly political sop to class resentment that is nonetheless counterproductive, unworkable and oh yes, probably illegal. Sure, nobody likes the British upper class (not […]