Francis Elliott
The Times of London
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Francis:
Liz Truss: the long rise and rapid fall of our shortest-serving PM
Francis Truss unwittingly foretold how his sister’s political career would end as he recalled her behaviour around the Monopoly board as a child in Leeds. “She had to win. She would create some special system on how to win and then if she was losing, she might disappear rather than lose.” → Read More
Boris Johnson was last man standing over Covid schools closures
It took a co-ordinated drive by Matt Hancock, Michael Gove and Chris Whitty — as well as his own experience of the NHS front line — to force Boris Johnson into a third national lockdown.He had started → Read More
Afraid or hopeful? How Covid crisis altered Boris Johnson
Almost exactly a year ago, Boris Johnson sent the happy ranks of his newly elected Conservative MPs home for Christmas with these words ringing in their ears:“Next year will be a great year for our → Read More
Redrawn constituency map will give Tories a ten-seat advantage
Boris Johnson will fight the next election with an advantage of up to ten seats under a redrawn constituency map compiled from figures to be published next month.He is also set to lift the national → Read More
Lord Maginnis facing 18-month suspension for homophobic abuse
A peer is to be suspended from parliament for at least 18 months and cannot return until he has undergone a “bespoke” training course after standards watchdogs upheld complaints over his abusive → Read More
‘Pragmatic’ Dan Rosenfield offers a clean break with past at No 10
Boris Johnson cut a trimmer figure when he emerged from his two-week isolation on Thursday to thank Downing Street staff at a short meeting.The benefits of having spent days pounding a treadmill in → Read More
Levelling up for next election
Charity begins at home. Or more precisely the towns of the Midlands and the north of England that the Conservatives will need to defend to keep power.This was not the moment when Rishi Sunak faced up → Read More
Coronavirus: Deaths could peak just before Christmas, No 10 is warned
The analysis from the Joint Biosecurity Centre was measured, forensic and “terribly, terribly bleak”. On Thursday morning ministers on the Covid-19 operations committee were presented with a series of → Read More
Coronavirus: Just one in six voters believe Boris Johnson has clear plan to beat virus
Just one in six people believe Boris Johnson has a clear plan to tackle Covid-19 and that the current strategy is curbing the spread of the virus, a poll has found.The prime minister is still being → Read More
What are the obstacles to a Manchester deal?
The great Manchester stand-off looks to be coming to a close after Robert Jenrick set Andy Burnham an ultimatum today. This, the communities secretary said, would be the final round of talks. The → Read More
Labour MP Claudia Webbe charged with harassing woman
Claudia Webbe, a Midlands Labour MP, has been charged with harassment.Ms Webbe, 55, said that she would be “vigorously defending” herself in court.Announcing the charge, Jenny Hopkins, from the Crown → Read More
Overburdened, underpaid and ‘misery on his face’: Boris Johnson gets the blues
Shortly before lunchtime on Wednesday Boris Johnson summoned a small group of Conservative backbenchers to his wood-panelled office behind the Speaker’s chair in the Commons.He had just come from → Read More
Fears about shuffling pack saved ‘vindictive’ Gavin Williamson from axe
The whip was on Gavin Williamson’s desk when the photographer arrived.Deliberate or not, it was taken as a warning of his reputation for dark arts as he fought for his political life. The education → Read More
Boris Johnson promises independent inquiry into coronavirus response
Boris Johnson has committed himself to an independent inquiry into the response to the coronavirus pandemic.The prime minister told MPs today it would be wrong to take up officials’ time during the → Read More
Boris Johnson has sought to please both his rebels and Beijing with Huawei ban
Boris Johnson’s attitude to China is not so different from his attitude to the European Union. Told to choose between the benefits of staying close and those of divergence, the prime minister likes to → Read More
Boris Johnson gives nod to African gas pipeline
Boris Johnson will give the go-ahead next week to a £1 billion loan guarantee for an African gas pipeline despite warnings that it will damage Britain’s environmental credentials before the → Read More
New lockdown rules explained: what you can and can’t do
Once it was all so simple, but now following lockdown rules to the letter is anything but. Want to help your host with the washing up after a garden barbecue? Not allowed. Need to use the loo? OK, but → Read More
Cracks widen as fatigue takes its toll at Downing Street
Under pressure at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Boris Johnson blurted that the government would have a “world-beating” test, track and trace system in place by June 1. Behind the scenes → Read More
Boris Johnson to build up speed after easing himself back into the driving seat
Boris Johnson’s convoy swept through the back gates of Downing Street late on Sunday night, evading a press pack camped outside the front door.He had his reasons for wanting a low-key return to work → Read More
Coronavirus lockdown far from over as Boris Johnson returns
Large elements of the lockdown will remain in place for a “long period of time”, Boris Johnson’s spokesman has said.Industry groups have been told to expect guidance next week on how to reopen shops → Read More