Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The government is in psychopathic mode and chaos reigns in the lobby

Getting the train back from a major party conference straight to a sitting House of Commons is something no Westminster journalist, however old, has ever done before

Tom Peck
Friday 27 September 2019 18:49 BST
Comments
PM’s words about Jo Cox were unforgivable – as is the fact he stands by them
PM’s words about Jo Cox were unforgivable – as is the fact he stands by them

Even in these rarefied days, this has been a week for the ages. Not since I found myself physically shaking, at about 1am on 24 June 2016, have I felt quite so stunned by any single news event as watching Lady Hale read out the Supreme Court’s devastating verdict on Tuesday morning.

I was one of a large number of journalists, sitting in the media centre of the Labour Party conference, when things were changed utterly. I, like many, had expected the government to lose, but not to lose so dramatically, and for a court judgement, which are traditionally highly reserved, to be quite so brutal.

The scenes that followed it, in Brighton and in New York, were utter chaos. Jeremy Corbyn’s speech moved forward, journalists rushing to Westminster from the south coast. Others waiting in their New York hotel beds, just before dawn, for the prime minister to rise to see the almighty mess he was in.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in