Monthly Archives: July 2022

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic criticised Britain for the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill currently passing through Parliament. Calling the legislation "illegal", he said the Prime Minister was undermining UK-EU relations in the middle of the Ukraine war.

His remarks will do little to ease tensions between London and Brussels.

The new Brexit legislation will give ministers the power to overrule aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol, introduced as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement in 2019.

Ministers say they have been left with no choice but to take action to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom in the face of issues caused by the treaty.

Lashing out at the Government, Mr Sefcovic said this morning: "Given the challenges we face, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rising energy prices and pressures on the cost of living, it is more important than ever to strengthen Western unity.

READ MORE ON OUR BREXIT LIVE BLOG

"Stable, positive, even strategic relationship based on international agreements we have signed and ratified is in our mutual interest.

"We need co-operation and action to strengthen our bond and bring it to the qualitative level it deserves."

His comments were made on the same day the UK offered Ukraine a further 1billion in support to help fight Russia, bringing the total military and economic support to 3.8billion this year.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly praised Britain for its leadership in standing up against Putin and the Kremlin.

He said earlier this month: "The war highlights who is our friend or friends as not just strategic friends, but real friends now. And I believe Great Britain is a friend.

"Arms, money, and sanctions, these are three things in which Great Britain consistently demonstrates its leadership."

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The Northern Ireland Bill was backed by MPs in its second reading in the House of Commons earlier this week.

MPs voted by 295 to 221 in favour of the legislation continuing to move forward in Parliament despite some Conservative backbenchers, including former prime minister Theresa May, joining Labour in parroting the EU's criticism of the plan.

They said the UK would be breaking international law by unilaterally changing the implementation of the Protocol and urged ministers to resume negotiations with Brussels.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has rejected the allegations saying there is "strong legal justification" for the legislation in the face of the problems being caused by the treaty.

The UK has been holding talks with Brussels since October on trying to find a negotiated solution to the Protocol but has failed to find a breakthrough.

Ms Truss said on Monday that the UK remained committed to trying to find a compromise with the EU and that the European Commission needed to be more accommodating in talks.

Mr Sefcovic today accused Ms Truss of failing to return to negotiations and said there was "serious concern" in Brussels about the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.

"This was done despite our offer to return to the discussion table and seek joint solutions, which has been met by radio silence from the UK since February," he said.

"Such unilateral action is quite simply illegal.

"It is a breach of international law and is extremely damaging to mutual trust and respect between the EU and the UK.

"It is not for London to unilaterally change the game."

MPs are next set to debate the Protocol Bill on July 13.

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EU launches astonishing attack claiming Boris is helping PUTIN with his Brexit demands - Express

Former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned Britain has "no chance" of signing a trade deal with Joe Bidens administration if the issues arising from the Northern Ireland conundrum are not solved with the European Union.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News Beth Rigby, he said: "Weve got to do is repair our trading relations. If we cannot repair our relations with Europe and America, were at war with both of them if you like for different reasons but all related"

Sky News Beth then cut him off, asking: "Why are we at war with America?"

"Well, were at war with America over Ireland because they will not sign a trade treaty as long as we cannot sort out the issues related to Ireland", Mr Brown said.

Sky News Beth Rigby interrupted, saying: "Actually, President Biden, I asked him about this explicitly last year, last September. And he said he thought the two things were separate. That there was a trade deal and that there was the Good Friday Agreement."

Gordon Brown hit back: "Well, he may think that. But the American Congress will not think that. Theres no chance of a trade deal between Britain and America unless we can sort out the problems that arise in Ireland."

And of course, theres no chance of getting better trade relationships with Europe unless we can sort these problems out, as well. And thats very much part of our future because if we cannot export to the leading markets in the world and cannot this successfully with these new industries and new technologies, then the cost-of-living crisis will be with us for years and not just temporarily," Mr Brown said.

Boris Johnsons Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has tried to fix the Northern Ireland conundrum with a Northern Ireland Protocol bill that will scrap the Irish Sea checks border.

The border issue came on top of the agenda when the DUP party refused to form a coalition with Sinn Fein after Mays election on the grounds the Irish Sea border would exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis in Northern Ireland and distance the province from Great Britain.

Liz Truss then unilaterally introduced the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which she succeeded in passing in the House of Commons.

Under Liz Truss Protocol bill, goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland would go through a green lane whereas goods destined to the EU would go through checks via a red lane while still leaving companies the option to abide by whichever rules they want.

READ MORE:'No chance of trade deal' Brown warns as Britain at 'war with US'

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'No chance of trade deal' Gordon Brown warns as Britain at 'war with US' over Brexit bill - Express

Prime Minister of New ZealandJacinda Ardern told Lorraine that she has recently signed a free trade agreement with the UK that could sound success for Britains future business. While Brexit negotiations remain complicated with the European Union over the Northern Ireland protocol dispute, an agreement with New Zealand will be welcome news. Ms Ardern joked that the trade should ensure more New Zealand wine on British supermarket shelves.

Lorraine said: Youre meeting Boris Johnson to talk trade because thats important, isnt it?

Ms Ardern said: Yeah, it is. We have recently signed a free trade agreement with the UK.

We are just waiting for the UK parliament to tick all of that off. And then New Zealands goods will be able to move more easily into the country.

She added, smiling: So, hopefully, you will see even more New Zealand wine on your shelves.

International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan and New Zealand minister for trade and export growth Damien OConnor signed the deal at the end of February this year.

The principle parts of the deal were worked out last October, with negotiators working tirelessly since then to finalise the deal.

According to the Government website, the trade relationship is expected to appreciate in value by almost 60 percent as a consequence of the deal.

In 2020, trade between the two nations was worth about 2.3 billion, meaning the future value will be more than 3.5 billion.

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The announcement said: Under the new deal, tariffs will be eliminated on all UK exports to New Zealand, including current tariffs of up to 10 percent on clothing and footwear, 5 percent on buses, and up to 5 percent on ships, bulldozers, and excavators.

They added: Smaller businesses will also find it easier to break into the New Zealand market as a result of modernised customs procedures, such as digital documents and customs clearance as quick as six hours.

The import market into New Zealand is also predicted to grow by roughly 30 percent as British exporters will receive more flexible rules of origin regulations on goods.

The deal should afford UK exporters an advantage over international rivals in the New Zealand market.

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Brexit Britain on brink of trade win as Ardern says deal signed 'Waiting to tick all off' - Express

The politician spoke to host Dan Wootton amid concerns of a second vote on Brexit becoming a key issue in the next general election. Ms Widdecombe argued that Mr Johnson must push forward with bold policy changes that will encourage voters to support Brexit.

She said: Boris could take enormous advantage of Brexit.

He could scrap VAT on fuel and nobody, as Ive observed before, is going to want to vote to put it back again.

So that on its own would turn people against reopening the Brexit question.

The Reform UK member exasperatedly asked: What is the matter with Boris?

Another concern aside from that of a second Brexit vote is that Boris Johnsons reputation with the public will also play against the Tories in a future election, as was seen in the by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton.

In Wakefield Labour won the by-election, and the Liberal Democrats stole Tiverton and Honiton which previously had a 24,000 plus majority for the Conservatives.

GB News host Mr Wootton waded in on the discussion saying: I think if the British public genuinely know that there is a risk of the biggest democratic mandate in our history being overturned at the next election, its a good thing for the Tories, it will get their base to rally around them.

It will get the red wall to think twice.

He added: When you think about Starmer being propped up by the EU-loving Lib Dems and the SNP and the Greens, I mean I cant come to any other conclusion.

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Meanwhile former Prime Minister Tony Blair argued that though he supports a second referendum on Brexit, I understand weve done it.

Speaking at his think tank in London he added: Weve done it legally, weve done it politically and its not going to be reversed any time soon lets say any time in this generation.

Ms Widdecombe conceded that an election at this point would mean the Conservatives would be at a disadvantage due to the personal campaign against the Prime Minister.

Ms Widdecombe said: I think that because of the personal campaign against Boris, the Tories if they entered a general election soon would be very weak indeed and thats why I say that the ball is in Boris court.

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Hes still got two years and he can still do a tremendous amount that people will not want to reverse and not want to risk by closer ties with the EU.

The politician argued that voters are weary of the Brexit argument and added, I wish Boris would just get on with it.

Hes not taking any advantage of Brexit.

He says its a bonfire of regulations here but when you actually put that against what he could be doing. Big, bold measures and he just funks it every time.

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GB News: Ann Widdecombe slams PM for funking Brexit - 'What is the matter with Boris? - Express

The veteran broadcaster claimed the former prime minister is "already on manoeuvres" as he highlighted the Future of Britain event organised by the Tony Blair Institute earlier this week. Mr Neil said that the aim of the "convocation of Remainers" was to "begin the process of drawing up a new agenda for the centre and centre-Left" which would likely reopen the question of Brexit "somewhere down the road" despite Sir Tony's insistence that it would not.

The journalist added that while the ex-Labour leader is "realistic enough" to know he can never return as prime minister, that "doesn't mean he can't once again play a pivotal role in British politics".

Writing for the Daily Mail, Mr Neil said: "That was clear from Thursday's Future of Britain centrist jamboree, organised by the Tony Blair Institute.

"It was very much a convocation of Remainers from the centre-Left and Right, but Blair was astute enough to emphasise that its purpose could not be to re-open the Brexit issue, even if that is what most would really like to do and will likely attempt somewhere down the road.

"Rather, its aim was to begin the process of drawing up a new agenda for the centre and centre-Left.

"Nothing of substance was decided at this first gathering indeed it never got beyond the blandest generalities and vague subject headings demanding attention.

"But Blair and his institute aim to put flesh on its bones."

Speaking on Thursday, Sir Tony - an opponent of Brexit - insisted the UK's departure from the EU would not be reversed "any time soon".

He said: "It is not going to be reversed any time soon, let's say, any time in this generation.

READ MORE:Remainers are HAPPY with foreign courts ruling Britain

"The fact that we have got exports down and the pound devalued and business investment down is doing us damage."

The former prime minister also insisted his new project was not going to morph into a political party nor was he putting together a "manifesto".

He said: "You have got two main political parties. I don't see that changing."

Sir Tony added: "I want to build a strong policy agenda and then it is there for reasonable people, whether they are Conservative Party, Labour Party, Lib Dems, whatever, to take it up and at least you get people debating how to change the country in a way that bears some resemblance to the reality of the challenge we face."

The ex-Labour leader rejected the suggestion, in the face of the rise of the far-left and the far-right in France, that voters did not want so-called "centrist" politics anymore.

But he admitted: "It is a fight. There is going to be a big struggle."

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'Already on manoeuvres' Andrew Neil unveils new Tony Blair plot to reverse Brexit - Express

Danny, 56, Pontypool

Occupation Prison, drug and alcohol caseworker

Voting record Previously Labour; hasnt voted in recent years

Amuse bouche Danny was homeless as a teenager

Occupation Has recently left her job in an opticians after 20 years because of caring responsibilities

Voting record Labour, all the way

Amuse bouche Jolene has recently discovered that she is autistic and has ADHD

Danny I hadnt thought about what Jolene might be like, just that as long as we were both nice, it should be OK.

Jolene As soon as he walked in, I felt comfortable. I was expecting some snotty-nosed Tory racist person. I love people, so I still would have been interested.

Danny Im vegan. The starter had loads of different peas in it. That was stunning.

Jolene I was quite nervous. The waiter said, Ill get you a gin and tonic and I thought, How did you know thats what I needed?

Jolene He was not a Nigel Farage-type Brexit person, so that was nice. He talked about the old Labour arguments against the EU, from years ago. I still cant completely understand his reasons. I said: Tell me a tangible benefit to Brexit I never got one.

Danny I voted out on a Bob Crow vibe the late trade union leader. Its not about vilifying people who are coming over, trying to better themselves. Its about freedom of movement driving down wages. The systems been set up so were fighting against each other. People should be angry about the distribution of wealth.

Jolene My partners a truck driver, so when there was a massive labour shortage, his money went up. But it was never low because of foreign workers that was about the government allowing people to be paid crap wages. Then their answer was, Well let lorry drivers work more hours but he already worked crazy hours.

Danny I dont think Brexit is going very well, but thats because of the government weve got at the moment. And the beauty is, we can vote them out. In the EU, we werent able to vote those people out.

Jolene But it feels impossible to get rid of the Tories, and I cant see how well get back the money weve wasted.

Danny We spoke about the Labour party and how much we both liked Corbyn, how the country missed a trick in not electing him.

Jolene We could see the qualities in him, and why he brought so many young people into the party, which was great. I was still a Labour member in 2020, so I did vote for Keir Starmer for leader. I believed in his promise to unite the party. But hes done the opposite of that: hes waging a war on the left. So I do regret that.

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Danny Corbyn seemed a bit meek. The establishment and the corporations needed someone stronger to take them on.

Jolene Im not completely against the Labour party now. I love Angela Rayner. Shes such a strong woman.

Jolene We talked about neurodiversity, how hard it was to get diagnosed with ADHD and autism, and how, once its been missed, you go through trauma after trauma. That was a really interesting conversation, because of the work he does with prisoners and addiction. Something like 25% of the prison population has ADHD.

Danny Ive seen this in the Prison Service and the army theres a lot of ex-servicemen in prison. When I was in the army, there were certain things I couldnt do, couldnt fathom. Then I really struggled when I came out of it. My marriage split up, I couldnt get a grip for a while. To be fair, prisons are pretty good with autism now. In the old days, youd have just been labelled a nuisance or a pain in the arse.

Jolene Im rediscovering myself since Ive been diagnosed. The things Ive struggled with, the ups and downs, the sensory things I have so much more compassion for myself now. Its liberating.

Danny I did say to Jolene, lets not fall out about anything. Its just my opinions, Im not saying its true. And she was lovely, really nice.

Jolene Generally I feel as if I made a friend. I hope I didnt talk too much.

Additional reporting: Naomi Larsson

Danny and Jolene ate at Gem 42 in Newport

Want to dine across the divide? Find out how to take part

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Dining across the divide: He was not a Nigel Farage-type Brexit person, so that was nice - The Guardian

Its an economic truth too little remarked upon that a country cannot indefinitely live beyond its means.

To do so it must rely on the kindness of the markets, overseas investors who have sufficient faith in the ability of the UK economy to prosper so mightily in the future that it can indeed pay its debts. If not, then they will shun sterling assets and the value of the pound will fall. That makes imports more expensive, exports cheaper, and redresses the trade imbalance over time.

One of the main mechanisms driving that adjustment is the way higher import prices drive inflation higher and reduce the real value of wages, which comprise roughly 70 per cent of the cost base of the British economy. Thus do living standards become squeezed, and workers and managers on behalf of the owners of capital come into conflict.

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Politics Explained: How Brexit may still yet deprive Johnson and the Tories of power - The Independent

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson looks on as he is welcomed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured), to the G7 Summit at Bavaria's Elmau castle, near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, June 26, 2022. Brendan Smialowski/Pool via REUTERS

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LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that other leaders at a G7 summit had hardly raised the issue of a proposed Northern Ireland trade law allowing Britain to scrap some of the rules on post-Brexit trade.

Asked whether his government's plans to act unilaterally to change its Brexit deal had made other leaders take Britain less seriously, Johnson said: "The most interesting thing about last few days is how little - contrary to some of the suggestions there have been in the in the UK media or UK politics - how little that issue has been raised, if at all."

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Reporting by Farouq Suleiman; editing by William James

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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UK PM Johnson says other G7 leaders have hardly raised Brexit issues - Reuters

Boris Johnson says the UK is 'better off' since Brexit

The UK left the EU on January 31, 2020, ending its 47-year membership, following the British people voting to Leave at the 2016 referendum. However, issues over Britains withdrawal from the European trading bloc remain, including the Northern Ireland Protocol, which governs Britains post-Brexit trade with the province. Boris Johnsons bid to sort out the controversial arrangement cleared its first hurdle on Monday as proposed new legislation passed its second reading in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister has said the proposals, which include unilaterally overriding parts of the Protocol, could become law fairly rapidly, continuing his promise to get Brexit done.

As the Conservative Party leader remains determined in his efforts to deliver Brexit, Express.co.uk looks at how his promises about Britains post-EU future have played out.

This pledge was one of the core messages of Mr Johnsons successful campaign for the 2019 General Election, which he won in an historic landslide.

His promise has been literally achieved in the sense that he finally led the UK out of the EU, more than three years after the Brexit referendum.

The Prime Minister also prevailed where his predecessor Theresa May could not getting a trade deal with Brussels.

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The UK and the EU reached an agreement on Christmas Eve 2020 after years of tortuous negotiations.

A month after the trade deal was inked, the UK also exited the EUs single market and customs union.

However, in some areas, Brexit issues still need to be resolved, such as the ongoing situation with the Protocol.

Mr Johnson claimed in December 2019 ahead of the election that there would not be additional checks on goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland or vice versa.

He told Sky News: The only checks that there would be, would be if something was coming from GB via Northern Ireland and was going on to the Republic.

Then there might be checks at the border into Northern Ireland.

Around the same time, the Prime Minister also claimed that Northern Irish businesses would not be hit with extra fees or paperwork.

He said: We will make sure that businesses face no extra costs and no checks for stuff being exported from NI to GB.

Mr Johnsons claims ran contrary to what the Government itself said at the time.

A leaked Treasury document warned of a range of bureaucratic measures hitting trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, including customs declarations and various checks.

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A Government risk assessment in October 2019 also said there would be checks and added administration for goods being sent along this trade route.

More than 157,000 inspections of food shipments and 7,400 inspections on live animals were conducted at Northern Irish ports between January 1, 2021, and March 20, 2022, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Mr Johnson, Michael Gove and Vote Leave Campaign chief Gisela Stuart claimed that fuel bills will be lower for everyone after Britain left the EU.

In a joint article for The Sun in May 2016, just days before the referendum, they wrote: In 1993, VAT on household energy bills was imposed.

This makes gas and electricity much more expensive. EU rules mean we cannot take VAT off those bills.

They added: As long as we are in the EU, we are not allowed to cut this tax. When we vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax.

It is true that while the UK was in the EU VAT area it was unable to reduce the tax on domestic electricity and gas below its current rate of five percent.

However, as the nation battles the ongoing cost of living crisis, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who voted Leave, is still yet to slash the tax or scrap it altogether.

The energy price cap the maximum price suppliers can charge customers increased in April and is expected to increase again in October.

The Government has stepped in to help with 400 payments for all households and an additional 650 for people on benefits.

However, VAT on fuel bills in the UK is still charged at five percent.

Throughout the EU referendum campaign, Mr Johnson claimed that the UK would take back control of hundreds of millions of pounds the UK sent to the EU as a member of the bloc a promise that became one of the most contentious of the Leave vs Remain argument.

The former Foreign Secretary famously toured the country on Vote Leaves bright red Brexit battle bus, which was adorned with the phrase: We send the EU 350m a week, let's fund the NHS instead.

The senior Tory also repeated the claim in an article for the Daily Telegraph in September 2017.

He wrote that once we have settled our accounts, we will take back control of roughly 350m per week.

He added: It would be a fine thing, as many of us have pointed out, if a lot of that money went on the NHS.

However, due to a long-term EU rebate given to the UK, the total sum the Treasury sent to the EU each week totalled around 252.

Sir David Norgrove, the head of the UK Statistics Authority, wrote to Boris Johnson over the 350million claim, describing it as a clear misuse of official statistics.

He said he was disappointed in his repetition of the claim and that it confuses gross and net contributions.

This was one of Mr Johnsons more vague promises of the referendum campaign, with the Prime Minister pledging to take back control.

Under the UKs Brexit deal with the EU, the blocs member states retained full access to British waters from 2021 to 2026.

At the time the deal was signed in 2020, Mr Johnson claimed that during this transition period, Britains share of its own fisheries will rise substantially from roughly half today to closer to two-thirds in five and a half years.

However, the rise the Government claimed the UK would see after Brexit is projected to be far less than expected.

The increase will only amount to 12.4 percent, according to a study published in February by the University of York, the New Economics Foundation, the University of Lincoln and marine consultancy service ABPmer.

There were also promises by the Government that waters up to 12 nautical miles from Britain would only be fished in by UK boats.

However, the Government has agreed to let boats from the EU continue to fish in waters between six and 12 miles from the coast.

Global Britains ability to strike trade deals with countries of its choosing was one of the ideas that attracted many people to Brexit.

The US would be first in line to strike an agreement with the UK after Brexit, Mr Johnson claimed in 2017.

However, a deal with Britains transatlantic partner is still non-existent.

The Government did ink a deal with Indiana last month, its first trade agreement with an individual US state.

But it remains unclear whether the US and UKs special relationship will bear fruit in terms of a trade deal between the two nations.

Mr Johnson was also warned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month that Washington could not do a deal with London if it undermined the Northern Ireland protocol.

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Boris Johnsons SIX key Brexit promises and how theyve played out - Express

Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton are at opposite ends of the country geographically, socially and politically. But they have two features in common: both voted Leave heavily in 2016, and both turned against the Conservatives last week. Defeats on the same day in a northern red wall seat and a southern rural stronghold suggest that, six years on from the EU referendum, the Conservative majority Boris Johnson stitched together with a promise to get Brexit done is beginning to unravel.

For both opposition parties, the byelections have a distinctly 1990s flavour, with the return of a pattern from the Major years that has been largely absent in the past decade of Conservative government voters in both seats seemed determined to eject Tory incumbents and flocked to the local opposition candidate seen as best placed to do so. Tactical coordination among Labour and Liberal Democrats voters is back, and if replicated at a general election, it could put a lot of seemingly safe Conservative seats in play.

Labours first byelection gain since Ed Milibands 2012 win in Corby ticks a lot of boxes for party strategists a red wall seat recovered, on a healthy swing which if replicated across similar seats would put Labour on the brink of government. This is a big boost for Keir Starmer, whose leadership was plunged into crisis just a year ago after the loss of heavily Leave-voting Hartlepool.

The Liberal Democrats have now gained three safe Tory seats on huge swings in a year. A toxic government and a dull but unthreatening opposition have enabled the Lib Dems to finally escape the long shadow of coalition. The Lib Dems are once again able to act as an all-purpose vehicle of discontent for voters eager to vent their spleen at an unpopular government even if still sceptical of the Labour opposition.

Byelections are not, on their own, reliable indicators for the contest to come. Margaret Thatcher weathered many heavy swings in the mid-1980s before winning a landslide in 1987; John Major suffered a debilitating double whammy similar to last weeks result in 1991 and prevailed a year later, and David Cameron lost two seats to Ukip in autumn 2014, less than a year before securing a majority against the odds. Yet these past Tory leaders have been able to draw on advantages over Labour in leadership, the economy and the issue agenda to bounce back. The Johnson government looks more vulnerable on all three fronts.

While boring is the most common word used to describe Starmer in focus groups, this is better than voters verbal reactions to Boris Johnson, the politest of which include liar, buffoon and untrustworthy. The prime ministers approval ratings, which collapsed in the wake of the Partygate scandal, remain dismal. Starmer may not excite voters, but bland beats toxic, and Starmer is therefore the first Labour opposition leader since Tony Blair to regularly beat his Conservative rival on the best prime minister question.

Worryingly for Conservatives, Johnsons fall has been steepest with the Leave voters who form the bedrock of their new electoral coalition. The prime minister held stratospheric ratings with Brexit backers until last autumn. Partygate brought him crashing down to earth.

The economy has long been the Conservative trump card. Thatcher, Major and Cameron all played on doubts about Labours economic competence to rally wavering voters. This advantage, too, is fading fast under Johnson. The governments ratings on every aspect of economic management have slumped as inflation has soared and wages have fallen. Labour has taken the lead on many economic performance measures, again putting them in their best position since the heyday of Tony Blairs opposition. And with further strikes and energy price rises ahead, the worst may be still to come for the government.

The broader agenda offers little comfort. The Conservatives two strongest issues in recent elections, Brexit and immigration, no longer exercise voters, and the governments efforts to revive them have fallen flat. Alongside the all-consuming cost-of-living crisis, voters rising concerns include the NHS, the environment and housing all stronger terrain for Labour than the government. And a quarter of voters now name lack of faith in politicians as one of their main concerns, unlikely to be a winning topic for any government headed by Boris Johnson. The government, then, is in a deep hole. It may yet get deeper. The present economic troubles divide a Conservative coalition held together by little beyond Brexit.

The interventionist instincts of new Conservative voters and MPs from depressed red wall seats put them perpetually at odds with the small-state instincts of the traditional home counties. Internal opposition has already forced government retreats on planning, transport, energy and much else besides.

A popular and strong prime minister could force MPs into line, but Johnson has neither popularity nor authority. Voters dislike him, colleagues distrust him, and four in 10 Conservative MPs have already voted to dispatch him. The Houdini of modern politics can never be fully counted out, but the escape act ahead looks daunting indeed.

Robert Ford is professor of political science at Manchester University and co-author of The British General Election of 2019

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Double defeat points to unwinding of Conservative Brexit coalition - The Guardian