James Heale

Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator

Deputy Political Editor @spectator

Articles

Keir Starmer is not having a good war

6 days ago | spectator.co.uk | James Heale

This is not been Keir Starmer’s finest week on the world stage. At the G7 on Tuesday, the Prime Minister breezily dismissed talk that the Americans would shortly join Israeli’s attack on Iran. ‘There’s nothing the President said that suggests he’s about to get involved in this conflict,’ he insisted.
America hits Iran’s nuclear sites

6 days ago | spectator.com.au | James Heale

Just before 1 a.m GMT on Sunday morning, Donald Trump announced that the United States had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan sites. It followed a tense 72 hours in which senior White House advisers became increasingly convinced that diplomatic channels had been exhausted, with military action the only available recourse to eliminate Iran’s nuclear programme.
America hits Iran's nuclear sites

6 days ago | spectator.co.uk | James Heale

Just before 1 a.m GMT on Sunday morning, Donald Trump announced that the United States had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan sites. It followed a tense 72 hours in which senior White House advisers became increasingly convinced that diplomatic channels had been exhausted, with military action the only available recourse to eliminate Iran’s nuclear programme.
Tories will remember this assisted dying vote

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | James Heale

‘I judge a man by one thing, which side would he have liked his ancestors to fight on at Marston Moor?’ So said Isaac Foot, the Liberal MP and father of Michael. For some Tories, both in and out of parliament, Friday’s assisted dying debate will carry a similar weight in judgements of character.
Tories will remember this assisted dying vote

1 week ago | spectator.co.uk | James Heale

‘I judge a man by one thing, which side would he have liked his ancestors to fight on at Marston Moor?’ So said Isaac Foot, the Liberal MP and father of Michael. For some Tories, both in and out of parliament, Friday’s assisted dying debate will carry a similar weight in judgements of character. Some 80 per cent of Tory MPs voted against Kim Leadbeater’s Bill at Third Reading, with 92 against, 20 in favour and five registered abstentions.
Commons passes the assisted dying bill

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | James Heale

The House of Commons has voted in favour of assisted dying by a narrow majority of 23. After four and a half hours of debate, MPs this afternoon backed Kim Leadbeater’s bill by 314 votes to 291. That is a marked drop in support from the legislation’s second reading in November, when MPs endorsed it with a majority of 55.
Parliament passes the assisted dying bill

1 week ago | spectator.co.uk | James Heale

The House of Commons has voted in favour of assisted dying by a narrow majority of 23. After four and a half hours of debate, MPs this afternoon backed Kim Leadbeater’s bill by 314 votes to 291. That is a marked drop in support from the legislation’s second reading in November, when MPs endorsed it with a majority of 55. The bill will now go to the House of Lords, where peers will scrutinise it. Today’s debate was striking for the number of considered speeches made across the House.
The understudied importance of political slogans

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | James Heale

‘Make America Great Again’. ‘Take Back Control’. ‘Yes We Can’. There are many political slogans – but only a handful are truly memorable. Done properly, they can win votes, define narratives and shape the great issues of our times. Yet, oddly, there are few, if any, publications which centre on election slogans – despite a plethora of political books being published since 2016.
The understudied importance of political slogans

1 week ago | spectator.co.uk | James Heale

‘Make America Great Again’. ‘Take Back Control’. ‘Yes We Can’. There are many political slogans – but only a handful are truly memorable. Done properly, they can win votes, define narratives and shape the great issues of our times. Yet, oddly, there are few, if any, publications which centre on election slogans – despite a plethora of political books being published since 2016. Now, a new work seeks to rectify this deficiency.
Assisted dying risks being Labour’s Brexit

1 week ago | spectator.com.au | James Heale

On Friday, the Commons will vote on the third reading of the assisted dying bill. Most MPs expect it to pass by a narrower margin than the majority of 55 MPs last time. There has been a shift in momentum throughout the bill’s passage through parliament, with at least a dozen more names now voting against Kim Leadbeater’s legislation.

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James Heale @JAHeale

17 Jun 25

Simon Case - the youngest ex Cabinet Secretary in British history - finally gets his gong

Mr Memory @AmIRightSir

Four new Crossbench life peerages announced: - Sir Tim Barrow - Simon Case - Dame Katherine Grainger - Dame Sharon White https://t.co/EMILnZkBKc

James Heale @JAHeale

17 Jun 25

Food for thought. A restorationist régime in Kabul would likely have stood a better chance post 2001

Seóirse Duffy @Seoirse_

For once, just imagine what would be possible if British foreign policy was monarchist. A section of the Foreign Office just for identifying the most legitimate heirs, for preparing them for constitutional Government, and for offering them to transitional Governments when wanted

James Heale @JAHeale

17 Jun 25

Nice customer service feel to this threat https://t.co/D0xCYtqDnR