By Peter HoskinFollow Peter on Twitter The votes are in, and the same sex marriage bill has passed its third reading in the Commons by 366 votes to 161. Of those voting no, 134 were Tories (including 7 abstentions), with 14 Labour MPs, four Lib Dems, eight Democratic Unionists and an independent. We've posted a full […]
By Mark WallaceFollow Mark on Twitter As if any further proof of grassroots dissatisfaction were needed, I've just been told by two sources that Richard Ashworth MEP – the Leader of the Conservative MEP Group in the European Parliament – and Marta Andreasen MEP – who recently defected from UKIP – have been deselected as candidates for […]
By Mark WallaceFollow Mark on Twitter Following Scotland's selections last week, the North West and London have now carried out the first stage of selecting candidates for next year's European elections. Readers may need a reminder of the slightly obscure process: first the regional electoral college choose the shortlist. If sitting MEPs are reapproved at this stage […]
By Peter HoskinFollow Peter on Twitter 130 MPs voted in favour of John Baron's amendment expressing regret at the absence of an EU Referendum Bill in the Queen's speech. 277 voted against. Peter Bone, who was a teller for those supporting the amendment, has confirmed that 114 of the 130 were Tory MPs. That exceeds the […]
The process of selection (or re-selection in many cases) of candidates for the 2014 European Parliament elections has begun. Most constituencies are still going through the first stage, of selecting which candidates will make the list, before going to a full postal ballot of party members to choose the order in which they will be […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. Coffee House's Isabel Hardman has the news of Nadine Dorries's return, and has penned a passionate defence of her position, arguing that Dorries is the victim of double standards, and that she is very popular with her colleagues. On the first ground, Isabel is right. She points out that […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. In today's Daily Telegraph, the Moggster asks: "Is it, therefore, now time to make a “big open and comprehensive offer” to Ukip? (Thereby mimicking the words David Cameron used to launch his offer to the Liberal Democrats after the 2010 election.) In marvellously politicianly vein, Rees-Mogg doesn't deploy the […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter There has been lots of speculation over recent days about the future of Nadine Dorries. Some have speculated that she might join UKIP in protest at the fact that the whip still hasn't be restored to her – six months after it was suspended because she appeared on ITV's […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. My take on the EU is that a renegotiation push is unlikely to result in many powers being returned to Britain, and that leaving the Union would bring short-term economic pain but medium-term gain. This is why I would vote to leave the EU were a referendum to take […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. I'm also told that Downing Street's original plan was to have junior Ministers taking the lead on policy developments in policy areas for which they are responsible – until senior figures on the '22 pointed out that Ministers, as members of the executive branch of government, are not well […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. A very senior Downing Street insider told me earlier this week that it, CCHQ, Conservative MPs and the media had underestimated the Adam Afriyie operation when news broke of his leadership ambitions: "We all did," he said. Today's news that Afriyie has hired Phil Hall, a former News of […]
Martin Callanan MEP is Chairman of the European Conservatives. This is his monthly letter to ConHome readers. Follow the ECR Group on Twitter. When we set up a book of condolences to Margaret Thatcher in the European Parliament we weren't sure what to expect. After all, she certainly shared a different European 'vision' to many MEPs. However, […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. David Cameron spoke yesterday evening at a vast party of the Parliamentary Party (largely) to celebrate 90 years of the 1922 Committee. So did Graham Brady, who presided over the event. So, scarcely believably, did Sir Edward Du Cann – yes, the Sir Edward Du Cann of Milk Street […]