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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
QUENTIN LETTS: Lucy the Leader rabbits away snippily. Can No 10 not find someone better?
Where was Sir Keir Starmer? It used to be customary for PMs, on their return from summits, to hasten to the Commons to make a statement. Downing Street 's gap-year traveller, back from his Canadian G7 jaunt on Wednesday afternoon, was yesterday still absent from Parliament. He was, you see, meeting England's Lioness footballers. Was Sir Keir uninterested in what MPs thought about Iran-Israel and other crises? Did he not want us to see that he was as clueless as the rest of us as to what the White House might do? Or could he simply not be fagged with Parliament? What is the point of the Commons? Does it matter if ministers lie? Was Richard Tice completely sober at 11.15am? These were questions I scratched into my notebook as the mercury rose and the world went spinning towards its destiny. Adrian Ramsey (Grn, Waveney Valley) at least tried. At weekly business questions he raised the reported view of Lord Hermer, Attorney General, that British military involvement in Iran would be illegal. It was 'critical', said Mr Ramsey, that MPs have their say. Lucy Powell, Leader of the Commons, replied: 'Where there is sustained military action in which our troops could be involved, that would of course be a matter for the House to consider.' The Green man, although sometimes a credulous Herbert, appeared to find this answer elastic. Who could blame him? Can Ms Powell be trusted on anything? She sucks on her Mancunian teeth and rabbits away in a snippy fashion that is demeaning for a Leader of the House. I'm not sure I have seen one worse. Commons Leaders in my journalistic time have included John Biffen, Jack Straw, John Wakeham, Margaret Beckett, Robin Cook, George Young, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Penny Mordaunt. All could hold a line with wit and, usually, an acknowledgment of the legitimacy of opposition. Ms Powell is more bludgeon than rapier. On the Government's rape-gangs volte-face she said, with sepulchral piety: 'We never ruled out returning to the issue of a national inquiry.' Yes they did! Often. Sir Keir himself, on January 6, dismissed any inquiry, saying: 'This doesn't need more consultation. It doesn't need more research.' Ms Powell's answer was that of a Little Britain character caught thieving chocolates – 'I never done it, honest' – as contraband Bounty bars clatter to the floor. It was risible. Absurd. Can No 10 not find someone better to fill this velvety berth? Not that business questions at present is up to much. New intake MPs read from scripts as they raised the most parochial issues. The chair, inexplicably, felt obliged to call all these plodders. Richard Tice (Boston & Skegness) had a chance to assert Reform as the party for real people's concerns. Up he rose on his hind legs to ask Ms Powell to congratulate Nigel Farage and Angela Rayner on being named Britain's 'sexiest politicians' on some scuzzy website and to ask: 'Does she recommend that they have dinner together?' Good grief. Later we were treated to Treasury minister Darren Jones. He's the one who made that peculiar claim about small-boat immigrants being mainly women and children. He unveiled a 'ten-year strategy on infrastructure'. Given how the Middle East is going, we might be lucky to last ten days. Mr Jones spoke of efficiency, affordability and 'place-based business cases – I know this will be a huge relief'. He added, with pride: 'We will publish a new online infrastructure pipeline.' His £725billion vision involved, naturally, a new quango, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority. Its birth will be announced on the Court and Social pages and will entail godparent duties for retired mandarins and ministers. How nobly they do these things. Last thing to note was the juxtaposition of two backbench discussions on yesterday's order paper. A debate on incontinence was followed by one on water safety education.
The Guardian
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Beach beasts, balloons and BTS fans: photos of the day
The Green party MP for Brighton Pavilion, Siân Berry and the party's MP in Waveney Valley, Adrian Ramsay, join demonstrators outside the Houses of Parliament on the morning of the government's spending review Photograph:A supporter holds up a drum with an image of the former Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner after the supreme court upheld her guilty verdict for defrauding the state Photograph: Tomás Cuesta/Reuters Tributes were laid out in the main square the day after a former student opened fire at a school, killing and wounding several people Photograph: Darko Bandić/AP A man holds an umbrella printed with the slogan 'Convict Sara Now!' as people gather to protest after a senate decision concerning the impeachment trial of the country's vice-president, Sara Duterte Photograph: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP/Getty Images The Capitol building at dawn, before of the US army's 250th birthday celebration and parade Photograph: Alexander Drago/Reuters An elephant tries to eat leaves from a man's costume during a religious procession, before an annual chariot procession called Ratha Yatra Photograph: Ajit Solanki/AP A groom at the Cadre Noir of Saumur – part of the French military riding academy – prepares saddles for a morning show Photograph: Loïc Venance/AFP/Getty Images A Conservator examines stonework on the south facade of Rosslyn Chapel, which featured in the film The Da Vinci Code, during annual maintenance work Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA A 12ft-tall bronze statue of a young black woman, Grounded in the Stars by the British artist Thomas J Price, stands in Times Square Photograph: Aashish Kiphayet/NurPhoto/Shutterstock The wind-powered Strandbeesten (beach beasts) by the Dutch artist Theo Jansen, which have been exhibited along the Dutch north sea coast, are moved to a permanent home in a former cable factory near the artist's home Photograph: Peter Dejong/AP A standard bearer watches as the former Royal Navy destroyer HMS Bristol, which was deployed in the Falklands war, is towed out of the harbour to be taken to Turkey and recycled Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Two members of the K-pop supergroup BTS, Jungkook and Jimin, talk to reporters and fans after completing 18 months of military service Photograph: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images Pope Leo XIV wears a Chicago White Sox baseball cap as he poses for a picture during his general audience in St Peter's Square Photograph: Remo Casilli/Reuters A pilot checks rigging inside a hot air balloon before a sunrise launch over Gilcombe Farm, Somerset, to announce the Show of Hands music and arts festival Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA President Prabowo Subianto launches the Pandu, an electric military vehicle, during the Indo Defense 2025 exhibition Photograph: Adi Weda/EPA A damaged Cristo de la Concordia statuette stands in the road as people walk through blockades set up by supporters of former president Evo Morales Photograph: Claudia Morales/Reuters The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, speaks in parliament – where a vote of confidence in his centre-left coalition cabinet is due – flanked by empty seats of the Law and Justice (PiS) opposition party Photograph: Kacper Pempel/Reuters A vehicle is set on fire during riots that broke out on Monday after a vigil for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys. Police said the unrest turned into racially motivated attacks on foreigners Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images A man stands on a damaged balcony after Russian drone strikes killed or wounded several people Photograph: Florent Vergnes/AFP/Getty Images An injured Palestinian girl receives medical treatment at Nasser hospital after Israeli forces attacked makeshift tents Photograph: Abdallah F.s. Alattar/Anadolu/Getty Images Palestinians receive the body of their relative, killed by an Israeli attack in the Netzarim Corridor, at al-Shifa hospital Photograph: Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu/Getty Images A charity distributes meals to desperate, hungry Palestinians as Israel's aid blockade continues Photograph: Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu/Getty Images
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns to stand for election as Greens co-leaders
Adrian Ramsay will seek re-election as co-leader of the Green Party alongside fellow MP Ellie Chowns in what the duo are calling the party's 'most ambitious chapter yet'. The Waveney Valley MP announced the re-election bid on X on Monday morning, days after current co-leader Carla Denyer announced she would not stand again in order to focus on her work as an MP. 'We're standing to lead @TheGreenParty into its most ambitious chapter yet,' he said. 'As co-leaders, @EllieChowns and I will grow Green power, hold government to account, and lead with ambition, unity and deep-rooted values,' he said. The duo were two of four Greens elected to Parliament in last year's general election, the best result the party has ever had at Westminster. The double ticket could not be filled by two man, as the Green Party's rules mean two co-candidates cannot be of the same gender. Zack Polanski, the party's deputy leader and a member of the London Assembly, has announced a leadership bid and told The Guardian his bid would be focused on transforming the Greens into an 'eco-populism' mass movement. He said the party needs to be more 'bold'. Announcing her decision not to seek re-election as co-leader, Ms Denyer said: 'For me, my guiding light has always been 'How can I make the biggest positive impact?'. 'And I've decided that for the next few years, the best way I can serve the party and the country is to pour all of my skills, passion and energy into being the best MP I can be, in Parliament and in Bristol Central. 'We're at a critical juncture in British politics. People are feeling deeply let down and are looking for real alternatives. 'And with the hard-right on the rise in the UK and across the world, it's never been more important for Greens to offer a genuinely hopeful vision for our future – and crucially to put forward real solutions to make people's lives better.' She said she would focus on issues like rent controls, moves to 'futureproof British industry to secure good green jobs for this generation and the next', and to 'replace the racism and xenophobia at the heart of our migration system with common sense and compassion'. The Greens usually hold leadership elections every two years, but an internal poll has not been held since 2021. That year, an out-of-sequence election was held, and Ms Denyer and Mr Ramsay were elected for a three-year term. The party did not go ahead with an election in 2024, as it would have coincided with the general election. Nominations for the election open at the start of June, and a ballot will be held throughout August.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns to stand for election as Greens co-leaders
Adrian Ramsay will seek re-election as co-leader of the Green Party alongside fellow MP Ellie Chowns in what the duo are calling the party's 'most ambitious chapter yet'. The Waveney Valley MP announced the re-election bid on X on Monday morning, days after current co-leader Carla Denyer announced she would not stand again in order to focus on her work as an MP. 'We're standing to lead @TheGreenParty into its most ambitious chapter yet,' he said. 'As co-leaders, @EllieChowns and I will grow Green power, hold government to account, and lead with ambition, unity and deep-rooted values,' he said. The duo were two of four Greens elected to Parliament in last year's general election, the best result the party has ever had at Westminster. The double ticket could not be filled by two man, as the Green Party's rules mean two co-candidates cannot be of the same gender. Zack Polanski, the party's deputy leader and a member of the London Assembly, has announced a leadership bid and told The Guardian his bid would be focused on transforming the Greens into an 'eco-populism' mass movement. He said the party needs to be more 'bold'. Announcing her decision not to seek re-election as co-leader, Ms Denyer said: 'For me, my guiding light has always been 'How can I make the biggest positive impact?'. 'And I've decided that for the next few years, the best way I can serve the party and the country is to pour all of my skills, passion and energy into being the best MP I can be, in Parliament and in Bristol Central. 'We're at a critical juncture in British politics. People are feeling deeply let down and are looking for real alternatives. 'And with the hard-right on the rise in the UK and across the world, it's never been more important for Greens to offer a genuinely hopeful vision for our future – and crucially to put forward real solutions to make people's lives better.' She said she would focus on issues like rent controls, moves to 'futureproof British industry to secure good green jobs for this generation and the next', and to 'replace the racism and xenophobia at the heart of our migration system with common sense and compassion'. The Greens usually hold leadership elections every two years, but an internal poll has not been held since 2021. That year, an out-of-sequence election was held, and Ms Denyer and Mr Ramsay were elected for a three-year term. The party did not go ahead with an election in 2024, as it would have coincided with the general election. Nominations for the election open at the start of June, and a ballot will be held throughout August.
