All articles written by Patrick Kidd on PoliticsHome.com

16 Nov Political parties

Maiden Voyages: Rishi Sunak and his predecessors

Politicians used to wait decades before they became prime minister. James Callaghan, Harold Macmillan, and Anthony Eden were all in the House more than 30 years until it was their turn; Winston Churchill was kept from his destiny for almost 40.

18 Oct History

Maiden Voyages: Liz Truss and her predecessors

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note

05 Oct Political parties

Conference Voyages: Patrick Kidd on the Conservatives in Birmingham

With the pound plunging, inflation soaring, an energy crisis brewing, trade unions striking and a Chancellor staking the government’s future on tax cuts and a dash for growth, Liz Truss faces a similar Conference challenge to Ted Heath 50 years ago. Maybe it’s time for David Cassidy to make a comeback as well.

28 Sep Political parties

Conference Voyages: former Labour leaders Tony Blair and Neil Kinnock

A stale whiff hangs over the government, which has been in power for more than a decade and trailed in the opinion polls for months.

16 Sep Obituaries

'A changeless human reference point in British life': Parliament pays tribute to the Queen

Parliamentary sketch-writer Patrick Kidd hears the tributes paid to a very special sovereign

01 Aug Political parties

Sticky Westminster wicket: A century of cricket players in Parliament

In February 1916, two weeks after Britain had introduced conscription and a week before the start of the slaughter at Verdun, the government sent in a raw recruit to open the batting in the debate on the King’s Speech.

05 Jul Parliament

Maiden Voyages: John Bercow

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

07 Jun Political parties

Maiden Voyages: Anna Firth

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

10 May Parliament

Maiden Voyages: who goes first?

There is no prize for being the first member of a new parliamentary intake to make their maiden speech, though it may give an early inkling of someone eager for the limelight. Frank Dobson in 1979, Edwina Currie in 1983, David Blunkett in 1987 and David Laws in 2001 all went on to make a name for themselves. Colum Eastwood, the Kenny Keen of 2019, has much to follow.

23 Mar Parliament

Maiden Voyages: Commander Redvers Prior

Theresa May was probably relieved, given her majority, that by-elections became a rarity when she was prime minister. There were just five from 2017 to 2019, the fewest in any parliament save the eight months between elections in 1974. Things are now getting back to normal

23 Feb Parliament

Maiden Voyages: Louie French

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note

19 Jan Parliament

Maiden Voyages: the Bishop of Chelmsford

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note

01 Dec 2021 Parliament

Maiden Voyages: The Latest Lords Debuts

There was something of a homecoming feel to the Lords in recent weeks with the maiden speeches of hereditary peers whose titles had not been on the order paper for decades.

09 Nov 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages - Sir David Amess

Sir David Amess did not believe that new MPs should rush to make their maiden speech, calming the nerves by getting it out of the way when no one is looking.

04 Nov 2021 Parliament

Maiden Voyages: Sir David Amess

Sir David Amess did not believe that new MPs should rush to make their maiden speech, calming the nerves by getting it out of the way when no one is looking. Rather, they should wait for an occasion with a decent audience. “The only time that the House will really listen to what honourable Members say is when they make their maiden speech,” the Southend MP said in 2001. “So I am not in favour of throwing that opportunity away when there is no one to listen to it.”

22 Oct 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages: Sarah King; Kim Leadbeater; Jill Mortimer

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

05 Oct 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages - Tory Conference Edition

It began with a turquoise feather duster.

27 Sep 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages - Labour Conference Edition

Tony Blair couldn’t bring himself to use the C word, though everyone expected it.

20 Sep 2021 Parliament

Maiden Voyages: Austin Mitchell

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

12 Jul 2021 History

Maiden Voyages: Boris Johnson

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

07 Jun 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages: Robin Millar and Anum Qaisar Javed

In his occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

11 May 2021

Maiden Voyages - The Lords Get Off The Mark

A small landmark for political nerds was reached on 5 March, the 582nd successive day on which there had not been a Commons by-election, eclipsing that gloomy period from Ogmore in 2002 to Brent East in 2003 when not a single droplet of fresh blood entered the body politic.

15 Apr 2021 Social affairs

Peers paid tribute to one of their own as the Lords marked the passing of Prince Philip

Baroness Mobarik achieved the rare feat since Prince Philip's death of revealing something new: that he hated rhubarb crumble.

26 Feb 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages - Winston Opens His Account

The guidance provided to new MPs on how to make a maiden speech says it should be brief, uncontroversial and contain remarks about their constituency and a tribute to their predecessor, regardless of party.

25 Jan 2021 Political parties

Maiden Voyages – Eddie Hughes Takes Flight

Continuing Patrick Kidd's series looking back at memorable maiden speeches...

29 Nov 2020 Political parties

Maiden Voyages - Beefy gets off the mark

In a new occasional series, Patrick Kidd looks at maiden speeches of note.

10 Mar 2020 Culture

Patrick Kidd: It may be drowned out by sneezing, but there is trouble ahead for the Tories

Less than three months after winning an election in which he portrayed Jeremy Corbyn as a security risk, Boris Johnson is being tarred with the same brush by his own side, writes Patrick Kidd

27 Feb 2020 Home affairs

Review: Unspeakable by John Bercow

What John Bercow’s moderately entertaining memoir lacks in self-reflection and modesty it more than makes up for in score-settling vitriol, writes Patrick Kidd

27 Jan 2020 Home affairs

Could the Other Place be put in another place?

The mooted move to York has caused consternation. Getting from the Garrick in time for questions is tricky enough; having to dice with National Rail would create an intolerable strain, writes Patrick Kidd

22 Jan 2020 Political parties

The maiden speech is something that is enjoyed or endured - but cannot be avoided

Maiden speeches can set out the ones to watch in a new intake of MPs. On this evidence, the new batch will step up to the mark, writes Patrick Kidd

09 Jan 2020

Punch & Judy politics is no more as we enter the Hoyle era

As the new Speaker took charge of PMQs for the first time, MPs were controlled with a look, or occasionally a wag of the finger, but none of the theatrics of his predecessor, writes Patrick Kidd

25 Oct 2019

Hurricane Johnson leaves carnage in his wake. Can his opponents stop him?

It must be maddening for those hoping to get straight answers, but Boris Johnson's modus obstandi is devastatingly effective, writes Patrick Kidd

17 Oct 2019

Burma Road: Boris Johnson’s fate now lies in the hands of the three Brendas

Patrick Kidd's weekly Westminster sketch