Veneration, adoration and devotion in the Cult of Trump
"Much of the world and half the country will breathe a sigh of relief that the four years of psychodrama have ended," intoned the sober and disinterested Matt Frei of…
Politicians
Boris Johnson is not a professing Roman Catholic: he will still advise the Queen on the selection of Bishops
Is Boris Johnson a Roman Catholic? Yes and no. During an ITV interview with Robert Peston, the Prime Minister was asked if he is now "a practising Roman Catholic", following his very secret and happy wedding to Carrie Symonds in…
“Impeach Trump,” they cried. “Impeach him!” “Why, what evil has he done?”
Donald Trump has become the first President in US history to be impeached twice. He exhorted his supporters to "march on the Capitol" and to "fight like hell", and this…
LibDems observe Ramadan, and Ed Davey lies about Lent
Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, is observing Ramadan. Apparently other LibDems are too, and it might even be the whole party, but let's focus on Ed Davey…
A nation unites to pray for Boris Johnson (well, almost)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been stricken with coronavirus and now lies in intensive care in St Thomas' Hospital, London. He is manifestly quite frail and on oxygen support. Ostensibly,…
And some have greatness thrust upon them.
A major advantage of First-Past-The-Post over any form of Proportional Representation is that it can deliver a strong, visionary, transformational government when one is needed. One was needed in 1979…
Waiting expectantly for the wrong messiah
We must never again have a general election during Advent: everyone is waiting expectantly for the wrong messiah. By the end of this week either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn…
Jacob Rees-Mogg does not deserve to be pilloried for his Grenfell fire remarks
I scarcely thought that 50 years after studying the Law of Tort I should be dredging up my recollection of its principles because they would prove relevant during an election…
Politics is too important to leave to politicians
"The Archbishop's platitudes do far more to divide the country than unite it" wrote the Telegraph's Charlotte Gill in a piece headed: 'Justin Welby has no business using his sacred…
Boris, feet, table… Do not judge by appearances
A photograph of Boris Johnson putting his feet on a table in the Elysée Palace has circled the world. How crass, boorish, discourteous and bullish, they all cried. Thing is...…
Boris Johnson becomes the first baptised Catholic to made Prime Minister
Today is the Feast Day of St Boris (really). And today Boris Johnson kisses hands with the Queen (not the hand of the Queen) to become the 55th person to…
Tory leadership contest: when did vice signalling become a virtue?
The Tory leadership contest has taken a strange turn. Perhaps it's a purposeful distraction from their (non-)strategies for realising Brexit, but they seem to have taken to vice signalling (or,…
Tory leadership contest: how ‘Christian’ are the candidates?
We have arrived at the final two candidates in the Tory leadership contest: either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and…
Farage — the Luther of the Democratic Reformation
Nigel Farage has led his Brexit Party to victory in the Euro Elections, and will send 28 MEPs to the European Parliament. While Labour (10 MEPs) and the Conservatives (3…
Theresa May made mistakes, but let’s not forget her essential dignity and God-given fortitude
Theresa May has announced her departure – with a few tears. The worst prime minister since the Second World War? Possibly. The worst prime minister in British history? Possibly. Thousands…
Who made James O’Brien pope of religious identity?
Radio presenter James O'Brien doesn't like Jacob Rees-Mogg. You only have to listen to a few minutes of his LBC interview with the MP to sense the contempt, bitterness and…
Bishop says Brexit is marred by politicians’ personal ambition, and calls for ‘strong, compelling and united vision of the future’
"My Lords, I always rise to speak in this Chamber with some fear and trepidation but never more so than today," confessed the Lord Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev'd…
Speaker Bercow: the most powerful commoner in the land
The Speaker of the House of Commons is also known as the First Commoner of the Land, elected by MPs to chair their proceedings without prejudice or partiality, and to…
A “bloody difficult woman”? Theresa May’s relentless inflexibility is a moral mission
Theresa May is undoubtedly a intelligent lady: not only is she an educational and political high-achiever – and only the second woman to succeed to the Office of Prime Minister…
Bishop denounces Boris Johnson as an “amoral liar”
It was a good lecture by the Bishop of Leeds, if a little long. Delivered to mark the centennial celebrations of Bradford Cathedral, he expounded some of the root causes…