Some months ago I coined the term Brexit – Britain exiting Europe in a Progress article.  Month by month the Brexit door opens ever wider. In numerous conversations with politicians, editors, civil servants and business leaders in different European countries there is a shrugging of shoulders as the assumption that Brexit will happen takes root. …

The new TUC general-secretary needs to make unions truly relevant once again By Denis MacShane —The trade union question is now haunting the left across the world. Anti-union attack dogs are on the rise everywhere. Conservative MPs seek every opportunity to bash and trash unions. Their main objective is to force a renunciation of the …

Is industry rushing in where politicians fear to tread? For 25 years it is has been a golden rule of British defence discourse that Europe was bad, America good. Now this ideology has been turned on its head. BAE, the giant monolithic creation of Thatcher-era defence policy is looking across the Channel, not the Atlantic, …

Lenin called them ‘useless fools’. They were the gullible idiots of the left who supported Sovietism even after it descended into terror and the crushing of freedom. Now Vladimir Putin has his own groupies in British politics but this time they are rightwing Tory MPs. Last night at the Russian embassy under the benevolent eye …

As Olympic gold fever dies down, normal political life will be resumed. One of the big debates in the next period will be whether Britain should adopt the prejudices of the Daily Mail, Sun and Daily Telegraph and move to the exit door of the EU. David Cameron’s repatriation and referendum politics is certainly seen …

Soon this glorious summer of medals will turn into a winter of three discontents – no growth except in poverty, cuts in public services that will bite, and poisonous politics as Tories and Lib Dems bicker while Boris plans Dave’s ousting. There is Team GB everywhere except where we it need most – in the …

Ed Miliband’s visit to Paris is a remarkable coup after just two years as leader. Neil Kinnock was humiliated by Ronald Reagan’s White House in a poorly organised effort to up his international profile. John Smith astonished European socialist leaders when he abruptly left a conference where he was due to be a star speaker …

Margaret Thatcher once called referendums ‘a device of dictators and demagogues.’ She was quoting Clement Attlee as his mid-century generation had seen or remembered how Hitler and Napoleon III used plebiscites to get popular endorsement for their decisions. None of those calling for a referendum today are dictators – on the contrary, they see themselves …

It is not usually difficult to get William Hague to use words. He is the master wordsmith of parliament. He uses words to great effect to hammer down on opponents or with stiletto wit to disarm and win his argument by getting MPs to laugh in agreement. But yesterday, despite my best efforts, he could …

Those worrying over what to do about Greece might look at why they spend so much on arms contracts and are still committed to buying billions of military metal from France, Germany and the US. Nato could give a solemn guarantee of protection to Greece against any attempt by neighbour (ie Turkey) to promote aggression …