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Katy Balls Profile
Katy Balls

@katyballs

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@Spectator political editor. @theipaper columnist. All views are Balls - kballs @spectator .co.uk Podcast 👇

Joined September 2010
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
1 year
Very pleased to be appointed political editor of @spectator 🎉 Looking forward to the new year - with some big shoes to fill
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Katy Balls
5 years
New: Tonight’s No. 10 meeting: Dominic Cummings told government aides they needed to be ‘cool like fonzies’ - he said that that ‘this is only the beginning’ and the strategy was to wait for others to melt while No10 rachet it up.
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
2 years
NEW: Boris Johnson tells MPs that he will be bringing back Lynton Crosby for strategic advice Received one of the largest cheers of meeting
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
5 years
Rory Stewart currently needs 13 more MPs to back him to get through Tuesday’s ballot. Whether he makes it through or not, Stewart has had lasting effect on contest. Or as one member of government put it: ‘Rory has messed up nearly everyone’s campaign’.
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
4 years
NEW: Prime Minister to address the parliamentary party this afternoon 17:30 – MPs have not been given details of the purpose of the meeting
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
2 years
Sense among some Tory MPs that Boris Johnson pulling out of the Northern Research Group conference to go to Kyiv could backfire with the party It was viewed as a chance to show he was taking MPs' domestic worries seriously
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
5 years
Ouch. Brexit Party beats Labour in Cambridge
@camcitco
Cambridge City Council
5 years
Totals for Cambridge in the European elections, 23 May: Brexit Party. 5064 Change UK 1323 Conservative & Unionist 1499 English Democrats. 83 Green Party 9408 Labour Party. 4551 Liberal Democrats 17328 UKIP 482 CSORDAS Attila 68 Rejected. 124 Total votes. 39,930
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
4 years
Roger Scruton wrote beautifully in the Christmas issue of The Spectator of what he had gained from the past year:
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Katy Balls
2 years
‘They will wake up soon from their fever dream and realise they have made the biggest mistake of their careers,’ says a No. 10 aide.
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
5 years
Boris Johnson won’t vote for May’s deal- instead says he now thinks no deal only route left. Will go down well with the Tory grassroots...
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Katy Balls
2 years
Sunak and Truss now chatting with the audience at the Talk TV debate
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Katy Balls
4 years
What a difference a year makes: Withdrawal Agreement Bill passes second reading 358 to 234 - loud cheers on the Tory benches
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Katy Balls
3 years
Plenty of criticism for Hancock, Johnson and Sedwill. Some praise for Sunak, Raab and the Warner brothers Curiously not a word yet on Michael Gove who was central to the government response...
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
2 years
One Tory MP: ‘It’s probably for the best. If we were all in one place for a few days, we could work out a successor’
@patrickkmaguire
Patrick Maguire
2 years
Message from government whips to Tory MPs: “Given the current COVID-19 situation, please note that the decision has been made to postpone the Parliamentary Away Day. “We will provide further details closer to the time of the dates being rearranged.” Sad!
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
5 years
No. 10 is taking back control - eleven hour days, government by grid, PM letters to ministers, aides ordered to report on their bosses if they misbehave - my @spectator column on how under Johnson and Cummings the government is being rewired
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
4 years
Boris Johnson is out of intensive care. A No10 spokesman said: ’The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery.'
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
5 years
Boris Johnson says he was advised by members of his team against coming to Charles Moore book launch tonight at risk of being egged amid extinction rebellion protest but then asked them: ‘what would Maggie do?’ and made the decision to come and speak
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Katy Balls
2 years
Labour go on the attack… through a Tory MP
@UKLabour
The Labour Party
2 years
This is what Tory MPs think of their own government.
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Katy Balls
5 years
Growing unease from Tory MPs over terms of Williamson’s sacking - view that No. 10 need to set out the evidence given he is so strenuously denying
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Katy Balls
5 years
Dominic Cummings’ message to government aides tonight: we want a deal but don’t be overly optimistic - right to prepare for no deal. Said aides should - once again - ignore the Westminster Bubble.
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Katy Balls
2 years
Prime Minister touring the tearoom and talk of an interview this evening No. 10 trying to calm the ship after mood has continued to worsen as the day has gone on Boris Johnson's allies talking about the need for him to make it to the summer recess....
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Katy Balls
3 years
The suspension of the US Scotch whisky tariffs Liz Truss has secured comes at an important time — with the campaign for the Scottish parliament election soon to get underway 🥃:
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Katy Balls
4 years
New: Tonight’s SpAd school saw Dominic Cummings invite aides to special weekend training - advisers are to spend an upcoming Saturday learning about super forecasting and management 📚 💡
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
11 months
Turns out it was a good day for Labour to announce the green prosperity u-turn…
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
5 years
All change at CCHQ - now a Brexit countdown clock on the wall, 92 days to go* *pending Parliamentary revolt
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Katy Balls
5 years
Should Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn agree on a customs union as a ‘compromise’ Brexit deal - the Prime Minister will need a lot of Labour votes. Plenty of Tories who voted for deal previously likely to withdraw their support if a permanent customs union attached
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Katy Balls
4 years
Boris Johnson not only trying to blame Labour for decisions relating to Friday attack in this interview - also trying to distance him from the last nine years of Tory government #marr
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Katy Balls
5 years
David Lidington endorses Rory Stewart - another candidate rival Cabinet candidates were hoping to scoop up after Matt Hancock dropped out 🗳
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Katy Balls
2 years
‘If people think there is an imaginary river, you don’t tell them there isn’t, you build them an imaginary bridge’, they add.
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Katy Balls
26 days
🚨 Labour’s alternative to the Liz Truss book comes to the lobby
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Katy Balls
2 years
We have the first leadership Twitter account 👇
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Katy Balls
2 years
NEW: Understand Boris Johnson due to meet his more supportive MPs - those who helped shore him up earlier this year - at 6pm this evening
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Katy Balls
2 years
The endorsement they all wanted
@Rehman_Chishti
Rehman Chishti
2 years
After careful consideration & in line with my leadership campaign for aspirational conservatism & a merit-based system, I’m delighted to support @RishiSunak to deliver for our great country 🇬🇧. His brilliant experience as Chancellor will be vital to tackling the ⬆️ cost of living
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Katy Balls
4 years
Already calls within party to make the press conferences daily – with PM, Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty – so as to calm public/make sure clear information for all.
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Katy Balls
5 years
Brexiteer thawing latest:
@bernardjenkin
Bernard Jenkin
5 years
"No self-respecting country would accept this deal. MPs must vote it down" Pretty unarguable by @danieljhannan via @Telegraph
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Katy Balls
5 years
Jo Swinson: ‘I do not support Jeremy Corbyn, I do not believe he is fit to be Prime Minister’ #marr
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Katy Balls
5 years
Tories have lost over 1300 seats in local elections - worse than all the negative forecasts which were seen as a form of expectation management.
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Katy Balls
8 days
🚨 London mayoral count well underway Safe to say less excited chatter this morning that Susan Hall could pull off a surprise victory - Tories instead making point it could be closer than the polls suggested Keir Starmer has said he is confident of Khan securing third term
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@katyballs
Katy Balls
4 years
So... this is tonight 😱😭😬:
@haveigotnews
Have I Got News For You
4 years
Tonight’s #HIGNFY is hosted by Jo Brand, with panellists @IvoGraham and @katyballs joining Ian and Paul. BBC One – 9pm.
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Katy Balls
5 years
Conservatives increase their poll lead to 12 points above Labour, according to latest Opinium poll:
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Katy Balls
5 years
Hancock allies think half of his supporters will follow him to back Boris. A large chunk of rest likely to go to Rory Stewart.
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Katy Balls
3 years
New @spectator out tomorrow: what the latest No. 10 drama means for the union strategy + the new approach in Downing Street from PM
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Katy Balls
2 years
Kemi Badenoch says it’s time for politicians to tell the truth People can’t ‘have their cake and eat it too’
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Katy Balls
4 years
.... social distancing latest– will be over Zoom, not in person.
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Katy Balls
5 years
Read more about Rory Stewart’s troubled relationship with bins in Spectator interview @spectator
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Katy Balls
5 years
‘The Tories would be wiped out in a snap election’ - my interview with Johnny Mercer in new @spectator . We talk West Wing wannabe politicians, membership powers and what qualities the next PM must have
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Katy Balls
5 years
May’s speech so far not yielding the desired result:
@lisanandy
Lisa Nandy
5 years
The Prime Minister’s statement was disgraceful. Pitting Parliament against the people in the current environment is dangerous and reckless. Yesterday her government attacked their civil servants. Now she’s attacking the MPs whose votes she needs. It will have cost her support
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Katy Balls
5 years
‘He’s being high-fived and clapped. I’ve never witnessed him being so popular,’ says one bemused attendee.
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Katy Balls
5 years
It's here, the government's no deal advice: Get Ready for Brexit:
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Katy Balls
5 years
Brexit Party comes to Dudley - ‘my name is Nigel Farage and I’m back in Dudley. Last time I was here it was during the eu referendum and the sun was shining... now we are lions led by donkeys and it’s time to do something about it.’
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Katy Balls
5 years
Lots of talk a domino effect in light of Rudd resignation: four most closely aligned to her politics - Julian Smith, Robert Buckland, Nicky Morgan, Matt Hancock. Smith currently viewed as a potential
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Katy Balls
3 years
If June 21 is delayed, the Prime Minister will face awkward questions as to why he delayed India being put on the red list ahead of his then cancelled trip there + No. 10’s judgment re last week’s G7 UK meeting where Indian delegates tested positive
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Katy Balls
1 year
As Scottish Parliament passes Gender Recognition Reform Bill, tSecretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack says: U.K. government ‘share the concerns that many people have regarding certain aspects of this Bill, and in particular the safety issues for women and children.’
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Katy Balls
5 years
In terms of great kitchen scandals of our times, Ed Miliband’s two kitchens still outranks James Brokenshire’s 2* ovens. *4
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Katy Balls
5 years
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Katy Balls
5 years
Reminded of May’s Chequers statement - all seemed calm, but then as hours go on things start to go amiss. If May is about to pivot to a customs union in political declaration there will be a very large Tory backlash
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Katy Balls
4 years
Expect kickback on government's coronavirus strategy as the week goes on. There are senior Conservative MPs – and some ministers – with deep reservations about the new direction of travel.
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Katy Balls
1 month
Matthew Paris on the problem facing political commentators
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Katy Balls
5 years
Dominic Cummings’s meeting tonight with special advisers: - No. 10 confident that they will get October 15 election - Cummings asked which seats the Tories are expecting to pick up in an election, answer was apparently inconclusive
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Katy Balls
5 years
Jeremy Hunt has had most striking Boris barb of the night: ‘If Boris’s team won’t let him out to debate five pretty friendly colleagues, how will he get on with 27 EU countries.’ #C4Debate
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Katy Balls
5 years
Downing Street spokesperson: ‘the Chief Whip is speaking to those Tory MPs who did not vote with the government this evening. They will have the Tory whip removed.’
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Katy Balls
2 years
148 rebels against Boris Johnson – this is a much worse result than allies of Johnson had hoped for
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Katy Balls
4 years
Iain Duncan Smith once said a leader ought to be judged on their first one hundred days. With Keir Starmer marking this milestone this month, he and his supporters are finding they have plenty to be optimistic about. My @spectator politics column:
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Katy Balls
6 days
🚨 Tory reach out underway over locals MPs have been invited to a local election presentation at No. 10 with PM, party chair Richard Holden + election strategist Isaac Levido MPs told they can also use it to give feedback ask questions… as well as a strategy update
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Katy Balls
3 years
Live vaccine tracker on @spectator 's new data hub 💉:
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Katy Balls
1 year
Soon after Starmer won, a senior aide told colleagues the strategy was simple: ‘No more piss-poor candidates’ Why the most important changes in Labour are happening now 👇
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Katy Balls
5 years
Prime Minister declining requests from Cabinet ministers to meet this evening is being read in some government circles as a sign May herself may choose to go
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Katy Balls
1 year
Alister Jack: “We will look closely at that, and also the ramifications for the 2010 Equality Act and other UK wide legislation, in the coming weeks - up to and including a Section 35 order stopping the Bill going for Royal Assent if necessary.”
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Katy Balls
5 years
...💰
@NigelpMorris
Nigel Morris
5 years
Breaking: Philip Hammond joins DUP negotiations
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Katy Balls
5 years
Three politicians go in – they are names tipped for the great offices of state as below: Sajid Javid: Chancellor Priti Patel: Home Office Dominic Raab: Foreign Secretary
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Katy Balls
2 years
‘Liz trails on electability and likeability, but remember we elected Iain Duncan Smith in 2001. Our members have their own priorities,’ argues a senior MP. ‘Voters’ emotion will trump their logic.’
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Katy Balls
3 years
Delighted to join the....... @kebabawards judging panel 🎉 Will try not to be a prima-donner 🍡🍢
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Katy Balls
2 years
Penny Mordaunt now says she wants to disclose to MPs why Truss can’t be here at the UQ However, Truss did not give her permission
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Katy Balls
2 years
A rather thorough Levelling Up white paper when it comes to history Includes this list of the largest cities in the world since....... 7,000 BC
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Katy Balls
3 years
Downing Street reacts to EU’s export announcement:
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Katy Balls
2 months
🚨 Sunak to Tory MPs tonight: ‘We are in the fight of our lives. This battle will define us, when the going got tough, when the polls were against us did we dig deep and fight or did we turn in on ourselves?’
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Katy Balls
5 years
Matt Hancock endorses Boris Johnson - not a given, however, that his 19 supporters will follow suit. Two have already moved to Rory Stewart...
@hzeffman
Henry Zeffman
5 years
TIMES EXCLUSIVE: Matt Hancock backs Boris Johnson, vowing to “hold him” to his promise to be a pro-business, one-nation prime minister
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Katy Balls
2 years
Great to end the year on the @spectator Women with Balls podcast with new @CamillaTominey episode The Telegraph associate editor talks to me about covering the Royal family, press parties + access 👇 👑
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Katy Balls
5 years
Packed room at Brexit Party rally in Bolton tonight - MEP candidate Claire Fox tells crowd that the parties that want to criticise the party don’t know what a popular movement looks like
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Katy Balls
5 years
Jean-Claude Juncker finds a way around the Benn Act
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Katy Balls
5 years
Understand TalkRadio’s Ross Kempsell moving to No. 10 to be policy adviser responsible for public sector reform - Kempsell’s ‘do or die’ Boris Johnson interview led the news bulletins during leadership campaign
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Katy Balls
5 years
The argument that May should stay until Monday so she can take blame for the EU election result is slightly odd. Think everyone will still be able to make the connection...
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Katy Balls
3 years
One idea doing the rounds in Whitehall to lift spirits is a daily vaccine toll – documenting the number of people vaccinated that day – so as to show the public the progress being made.
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Katy Balls
3 years
'If I was a good girl, I wouldn't be here speaking to you – I'd have been married at 14' Delighted to be joined by @Nus_Ghani for latest Women with Balls. She talks to me about fighting to be educated + discovering she'd been sanctioned by China 🎧👇
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Katy Balls
4 years
Prepare to hear a lot more about the Australian model in the months to come - it’s the term for the looser agreement U.K. will seek if they can’t secure a Canada-style free trade deal with EU - my iWeekend piece:
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Katy Balls
5 years
Summer recess is going to have to wait a little bit longer for government SpAds - they are being invited to a 5pm Friday meeting with Dominic Cummings, their new overlord
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Katy Balls
5 years
A handful of Conservative MPs standing up to applaud John Bercow as he announces his exit - bulk remaining seated
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Katy Balls
5 years
. @SamCoatesTimes reports Tory MPs texting round suggesting Michael Gove as a potential caretaker PM, we discussed the idea on Friday’s Coffee House Shots:
@spectator
The Spectator
5 years
PODCAST: Should Michael Gove be caretaker PM? Katy Balls talks to Fraser Nelson and Toby Young
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Katy Balls
5 years
Philip Lee has joined the Liberal Democrats – Tories' working majority is gone
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