Peter Oborne’s

Diary

Regular observations of the political scene at home and abroad

Peter Oborne portrait, by Alex Chamberlain

The Sycophants

Last November, the mainstream press celebrated Donald Trump’s election victory. “A comeback to Trump all comebacks!” shrilled the Mail. “Trump promises golden age after sweeping Harris aside”, announced The Times.

Boris Johnson whooped: “Feet away from Trump, I witnessed the moment the world’s wokerati had worked so hard to prevent – and a speech that left his opponents chewing the carpet.”

A few weeks later Johnson, reportedly paid close to £1 million a year by the Daily Mail for this kind of rubbish, was at it again: “We’ve got to stop sneering at America – its dynamic economy and can-do spirit is keeping the West secure.”

Liz Truss simpered that the “world was safer” with Trump in the White House. Kemi Badenoch revelled in the victory.

News In Brief – Niet Zero

Can Conservatives conserve anything? Perhaps only their loyalty to party donors. That’s the conclusion to be reached after Kemi Badenoch ditched the Tories’ longstanding support for reaching net zero by 2050 – following donations from key funders of a climate science denial group.

Byline Times Team

Political Musings – Spring is Here

As a Labour MP, I am particularly excited by Easter as it is all about rebirth, new life, and chocolate – themes that also resonate very much with the Labour Government. Like Jesus, we rose again. And like Jesus, we seemingly didn’t do very much once we were resurrected…

Rosie Holt