PrøvGOLD- Free

Scene of Tory party central now has that cemetery vibe

The Independent|August 28, 2024
The good news, Keir Starmer told us with a perfectly straight face, is that the rose garden at 10 Downing Street is now “back in your service”. The bad news, to borrow the PM’s latest social media jargon, is that he’s going to make a lot of “big asks” in the weeks ahead.
- JOE MURPHY
Scene of Tory party central now has that cemetery vibe

Wise voters will guess that the second sentence in the above summary will be rather more consequential on their bank balances than the first. Anyone left hoping for a free floribunda from the No 10 shrubbery will, I’m afraid, be disappointed.

A clue that Starmer was not giving a sunny address to the nation from his lawn was given in his distinctly non-barbecue attire: grey suit, grey tie, grey glasses, grey hair, grim expression.

His speech, billed as the starter for a new political season, was a confusing mish-mash: an attempt to look back in anger at the worst scandals of the Tory years while simultaneously admitting that things won’t feel better for a long while to come.

First, a reminder of the Conservatives’ most shameful moment, when the rose garden was the scene of Partygate gatherings and Dominic Cummings’s infamous press conference where he attempted to deny breaking pandemic rules. “Remember the photos of the wine and the cheese just over there,” cried Starmer, his arm sweeping over the patio in a rare moment of animation. “Well, this garden and this building are now back in your service.”

Denne historien er fra August 28, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9500+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 28, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9500+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE INDEPENDENTSe alt
Israeli airstrikes kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza Strip
The Independent

Israeli airstrikes kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza Strip

Starving people also being shot while waiting for aid as locals fear Iran-Israel war has shifted focus from their catastrophe

time-read
2 mins  |
June 19, 2025
Who is really to blame for miserable failures of HS27
The Independent

Who is really to blame for miserable failures of HS27

Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, was determined to blame the Conservatives when she announced that what is left of the High Speed Two rail project will be delayed again.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 19, 2025
City cruise to victory in Club World Cup opener
The Independent

City cruise to victory in Club World Cup opener

The late sending off of Rico Lewis marred a comfortable victory for Manchester City in their Club World Cup opener.

time-read
2 mins  |
June 19, 2025
Food prices have risen again are supermarkets at fault?
The Independent

Food prices have risen again are supermarkets at fault?

No, say retail giants who point the finger at the chancellor's tax rises as food inflation jumps to 4.4 per cent. James Moore follows the supply chain to explain why we are paying more

time-read
3 mins  |
June 19, 2025
Draper into quarter-finals after victory over Popyrin
The Independent

Draper into quarter-finals after victory over Popyrin

When Jack Draper played at Queen's last year he was still something of an unfinished article.

time-read
4 mins  |
June 19, 2025
Why Labour's bid to reform ECHR is freighted with risk
The Independent

Why Labour's bid to reform ECHR is freighted with risk

Shabana Mahmood has said the European Convention on Human Rights must be reformed to restore public confidence as Keir Starmer's government seeks to tackle the issue head-on.

time-read
2 mins  |
June 19, 2025
Meditation, reading and three modest meals a day
The Independent

Meditation, reading and three modest meals a day

Prison logs offer a glimpse into Aung San Suu Kyi's life

time-read
3 mins  |
June 19, 2025
THE PACE RACE
The Independent

THE PACE RACE

James Anderson and Stuart Broad assess England's seamers ahead of 'era-defining' Tests against India and Australia

time-read
4 mins  |
June 19, 2025
Two million more to get £150 winter fuel discount
The Independent

Two million more to get £150 winter fuel discount

Around 2 million more people will receive an automatic discount on their energy bills this winter as Labour confirms the expansion of an annual scheme.

time-read
1 min  |
June 19, 2025
Trump risks giving Tehran the final showdown it wants
The Independent

Trump risks giving Tehran the final showdown it wants

In the feverish rhetoric of this new age of chaos, Donald Trump has upped the temperature dangerously close to delirium with a threat to kill the supreme leader of Iran - not yet, but maybe and Trump knows where he's hiding.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 19, 2025

Vi bruker informasjonskapsler for å tilby og forbedre tjenestene våre. Ved å bruke nettstedet vårt samtykker du til informasjonskapsler. Finn ut mer