Tim Bale
The Independent
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Tim:
2019: How the ‘Brexit election’ was won
In what was often termed the second referendum on Brexit, the Conservatives delivered a substantial majority, but how did they do it? Robert Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge explain → Read More
How out of touch is the Tory party?
To retain his majority, Boris Johnson is going to have to wage that 'war on woke' → Read More
Level up: Boosting the regions might mean levelling down London
To level up the regions, the UK government might spend less on London. But what do Londonders themselves think about this possibility? → Read More
Jo Swinson's Article 50 pledge flirts with disaster – but it could end up gathering ‘revenge votes’ for the Lib Dems
There’s a lot to be said for clarity. You’ll know this if you saw the clip of Labour’s Emily Thornberry on Question Time a week or so back tortuously trying, and failing, to explain her party’s Brexit policy. So the Lib Dems’ decision to declare that they will be revoking Article 50 if they win a majority at the next general election clearly has a lot going for it. But it also → Read More
How the Tories became a Brexit death cult in thrall to Boris Johnson
Has the Conservative Party become a death cult? A few years ago that would not have been a question that it would have occurred to anyone even to ask. But after the publication of YouGov’s most recent polling of its grassroots members, it’s one that’s hard to ignore. → Read More
Britain has never been more European
Brexit Party win has killed the UK’s two-party system. → Read More
Is the Conservative Party full of Islamophobes? Consider the evidence we found in our research
Talk of Tory Islamophobia has some way to go before it rivals Labour antisemitism but it is getting louder. This week there was a damning report about Facebook posts by self-identified grassroots members of the Conservative Party, some of whom seem bent on preventing Sajid Javid, the UK’s Muslim Home Secretary, becoming their leader. → Read More
DEBATE: Should a General Election follow the appointment of a new Tory leader and Prime Minister?
Should a General Election follow the appointment of a new Tory leader and Prime Minister? → Read More
Is this Britain’s Macron moment?
Labour rebels face tough odds, but not impossible ones. → Read More
Our Conservative member poll shows how a Brexit ‘betrayal’ would threaten the Tories
The Christmas holidays weren’t supposed to be relaxing for Tory MPs – especially for those intending to return to Westminster next week to vote against Theresa May’s Brexit Deal. As far as the PM was concerned, the recess should have been a fortnight or so during which they were told by their local party members to stop playing silly buggers and to get behind the leader. But → Read More
Theresa May and the Conservative Will to Power
The divisions are deep, but Britain’s ruling party knows how to stand together when the time comes. → Read More
To Defeat Far-Right Nationalists, Don’t Try to Imitate Them
Just look around Europe: It’s clear that accommodating radical nationalists is a losing proposition. → Read More
Tories are older, whiter and more authoritarian
Conservative members are firmly right-wing on issues like capital punishment and Brexit - but their demographic make-up means the party faces an existential dilemma. → Read More
DEBATE: Should Philip Hammond remain chancellor of the exchequer?
Should Philip Hammond remain chancellor of the exchequer? → Read More
My secret plan to turn students against Brexit
If only academics could change students’ hearts and mind about this complete and utter catastrophe. → Read More
OMG Britain’s Tories are SO OLD – POLITICO
Conservatives are right to be worried about their lack of popularity with young Brits. → Read More
Will Boris Johnson be the next Prime Minister?
Will Boris Johnson be the next Prime Minister? → Read More
Norman Tebbit Q&A: the ex-Tory MP on the election campaign, Osborne, and the party's future leader
You ran the Tory election campaign in 1987. And if the story is accurate, you were grabbed by Lord Young and told “Norman, listen to me, we’re about to lose this fucking election” – an election you went on to win handsomely. Is that story true? And what do you think went wrong with the Tory election campaign this time around? Well, first of all: yes, that’s broadly true. There was one bum poll,… → Read More
Britain’s Labour Party is seeing a flood of new members. That’s why it’s in such trouble.
The Labour party's flood of new members may be making it unelectable. → Read More
After an enormous victory in local elections, should the Tories fear voter complacency in the General?
Only Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn can be Prime Minister on 8 June, and it is foolish in any binary contest to dismiss the possibility regarded by pollsters → Read More