January's Political Intelligence
By Paige Wilson
It has been said that January is a slow start to the year, cold and hazy weather keeps the population cooped up, under the blankets wishing for February to come. However, politics is yet to see this slow start.
In the UK, the New Year was headed by Boris and his campaign to exit the UK from Europe. In December Boris set the scene by claiming that it was ‘epically likely’ that he would secure a trade deal with the EU by the end of 2019. Yet, like many things in politics this did not cultivate and on 31st January Britain left with no trade deal in hand, but with Boris’s Brexit deal which won by a 124 majority.
The focus has now shifted to the following 11 months, in which we will see if a deal can be resolved, as it seems that this is just the ‘beginning of the Brexit ordeal’. Attention has now been turned to Boris’s sheepish actions in which he has been accused of dodging scrutiny. The PM opted to use an in-house camera crew to record his Brexit Day address, rather than using the traditional channels of the media to do so. In reaction to this, the larger broadcasters threatened to boycott the speech all together. It seems that the UK must wait and see if this is a fallacy of what is to come, setting the tone that the mainstream media will be shut out of Downing Street. However, for now this removal of the media by passes the checks and balances that every democratic political system rests on. More recently, this relationship has turned to the worst, as we witnessed a mass walk out of political journalists, whom were not allowed into a meeting within Number 10. However, to make matters worse the government and those working for the PM have denied these actions, stating that they are still ‘open and transparent’ as ever. This recent development does not help the growing rumours that the government are trying to avoid scrutiny at all costs and are being very selective over those whom are insiders. As the UK is entered an age that only the public are losing out with more restrictive access.
With the New Year also comes new peerage for the House of Lords. Nevertheless Boris has set out to surprise the country by nominating, not one but two men who he personally removed from The Commons. Both Kenneth Clarke and Philip Hammond, who had the Conservative whip removed from them whilst Blocking a no-deal Brexit, were nominated. It seems that this is another questionable ploy from Boris, as time will tell what will happen next.
One of Boris’s election promises was to reform the immigration system, to create an Australian style system in which there are tiers for immigration. In the last week the MAC report was published, in which the threshold for eligibility is £17,920 in earnings for new entrants. The government have proposed three routes to entrance; the first is skilled workers with a job offer which would be Tier 2, for high skilled workers. The second route is skilled workers without a job offer Tier 1, which is only available for those whom have exceptional talents. The latter is skilled workers without a job and for settlement Tier 2 which is still under review of the requirements.
Luckily for Number 10, attentions turned to their neighbours at Buckingham Palace, with the announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are taking a step down from their royal duties. The beginning of 2020 whitnessed the finalisation of a deal towards their independent future away from their royal roles. The biggest shock to the Royal Household is that the couple will now reside in Canada, as well as removing the HRH titles and no longer representing the monarchy in any capacity.
Northern Ireland is set to have a new power-sharing deal, which hopes to stop the political stalemate that is ingrained within the political system as both the Democratic Unionist and Sinn Féin have agreed to compromise.
Not only have Conservatives come under fire, but also the SNP. Within days, the Scottish Finance Secretary quit after reports emerged of him messaging a 16-year-old boy on social media. In a statement the SNP have confirmed the suspension of his membership with the course of an investigation. Nicola Sturgeon criticised it as unacceptable and showing a total disregard of power.
Internal conflicts within the Labour party have taken the pressure of the government, as December saw its worst election result for the Labour party. Now the party have turned their energy to finding a new leader, as the race has been narrowed down to four front runners; Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry.
More recently Labour MP Tracy Brabin came under criticism for her choice of clothing. The black off-the shoulder dress which she wore when speaking in The Commons has come under backlash as the dress slipped as she leant forward. Brabin, spoke out against the hurl of online abuse she received at her clothing, stating that it was her responsibility to ‘call it out’. The dress is being auctioned and bids have passed £17,000.