Politics

I've been to many university debates and spoken in more than a few. I've heard one man compare gay marriage to Nazism, a 19-year-old claim he was a 'survivor' of abortion and an Israeli student joke about killing more Palestinians. Sometimes outrageous or offensive statements cause shock, more often delayed laughter but they never go unchallenged. The National Union of Students would rather not allow potentially controversial debates to take place. The 'no platform' policy once used to shut down...

King's College London has withdrawn a speaking invitation offered to Boris Johnson followed remarks about Barack Obama's heritage. The London Mayor hit out at Obama after the US President made a trip to the UK to campaign for the UK to remain in the EU. Johnson said "part-Kenyan" Obama might have an "ancestral dislike of the British Empire" which prompted him to back the Remain campaign, which will compete with Vote Leave in June. In his Sun column he suggested Obama purposefully removed...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Today’s first question gave Nigel Adams, Con, a chance to fawn over the Queen on her 90th birthday and the PM was more than happy to indulge in a royal love in. It was a bit saccharine, but she is our monarch whether you like it or not. Republican Corbyn clearly doesn’t and made a half-hearted attempt at a happy bday. The same greeting you would share with an unhelpful secretary, with a 43-years-young balloon...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The US President Barack Obama has flown into the UK to urge Britain to remain in the EU. The PM, David Cameron, has urged voters to “listen to advice from friends and other countries.” He also said that: “I struggle to find the leader of any friendly country that thinks we should leave” Obama and his Wife Michelle are coming to our shores ahead of talks at Number 10 on Friday. Barack will take lunch...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor During a public rally, at the weekend, the Shadow Chancellor said he would support direct action by teachers, nurses and junior doctors. He turned on casino bankers who brought on the worst recession since the 1930s. He said that Tory Government used the economic downturn to cut benefits to the poorest in society. McDonnell also promised to end austerity, stop the privatisation of the NHS and to build a huge number of new council houses....

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A Belgian ex-pat called Mario Van Poppel bought the domain to voteleave.co.uk, voteleave.org, voteleave.com and voteleave.net and redirected them all to Rick Astley’s huge 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up. Visit any of these domains and you will hear the lyrics and see the great man in action. The famous words “Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down,’ are probably more apt for the Stay campaign, but there you go. Van...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The split between pro and anti-EU Tory MPs widened even further yesterday, after the Treasury claimed that a Brexit would lower GDP by 6.2 per cent by 2030, due to reduced investment from the EU and higher trade barriers. Here are 6 MPs who didn’t hold back yesterday, it looks like all out civil war in the Conservative ranks. Regardless of the EU referendum decision, can the party recover after they have torn lumps out...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor George Osborne laid into Boris Johnson during BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He called his Tory rivals “dishonest” and “economically illiterate,” over their Leave campaign. He said: “What's not honest and what's economically illiterate is to say we can have all the economic benefits of the EU and at the same time leave. That's having your cake and eating it". However, the Chancellor’s claims that Brexit will cost families £4,300 a year by 2030 and...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The Treasury has claimed that the national income of Britain could be six per cent smaller by 2030, if we “Brexit.” The report, which runs at 200 pages, concludes that the cut in Britain’s GDP would be around £4,300 per year for each household. They think this will be caused by higher trade barriers, which will damage exports. Investment will also be lower from abroad and from within the UK itself. Immediately the Vote Leave...