i think a big issue is that people tend to view elections as purely a product of campaigns instead of being driven by more structural factors such as incumbency, the party system, or growth/inflation

I've said repeatedly in posts over the last year or so that this relationship was going to become a story at some point. So dodgy.

Women's rugby fans deserve better than dodgy streams and broken promises. World Rugby, USA Rugby and SA Rugby need to guarantee that next week's return fixture is available live across the globe.

My start my own petition to increase broad based taxes and tell people on day one in office if you want good public services *you* will have to pay for it. Can we get to half a dozen signatures so it's waiting on his desk on his first day?

Politicans dont assume coproduction is magic challenge

This is basically every story that I write about London now, you don't have to want to live with Germany bureaucracy to want someone to do very basic checks. And the 'ease of setting up a business' is great (I've done it myself! It was so easy!) but unfortunately it's created scam central nation.

A side point but one of the big issues with opposing Shabana's proposals internally is very few Labour people realise and accept how bad the preposals are. There is a real issue with convincing Labour people what were trying to do is... what we're trying to do

Yes, a twitter user

Well yes, if you reveal you have awful views that don't reflect your wider party that tends to be what happens

Oh no.

Out of office. No better place than Lovetrails. Paradise (plus Mr Scruff)

Someone has to say it. The amount of racism directed at World Cup players - including in the England squad - online is out of control.

Pretty big move for the Culture Secretary to leave X, saying her department will too.

My friend, mentor and former boss Gus O’Donnell & I wrote a piece for The House magazine on the us of WhatsApp etc in government. Don’t expect everyone to agree with it but we hope you find it at least interesting and thought provoking www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

What's the cause? We don't know. HMRC only undertakes 330 random audits of small companies every year. It is not enough to see the full picture and creates massive uncertainties in the data.

I'm trying to think of any other issue where the EHRC would look at a 2-4% failure rate which leads to services being withdrawn as acceptable. There isn't one.

One of the true glories of modern Britain; a Somali refugee can arrive, be naturalised, be elected Lord Mayor and we then force him to dress up in a costume that is almost 700 years old for the lols And he's part of a relatively unbroken tradition going back almost a thousands years.

Matt Goodwin is not just repulsive, he hates Britain. Yassin Mohamud's story is a fantastic example of how great this country is. That you can come here as a refugee, work hard and end up as Lord Mayor. That's inspiring! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Also - I live in Camden. Our council leader, Sagal Abdi-Wali, came to Britain as a child refugee. Unlike Lord Mayor Mohamud, whose role is to represent Bristol in a ceremonial, dignified manner, Ms Abdi-Wali has executive power and good for her. Up yours, Goodwin. news.camden.gov.uk/new-leader-a...

There's no attempt to try and cloak the racism now. (Also Lord Mayors don't run cities and he knows that.)

Matt Godwin is a failure who needs to leave my city the fuck alone. Failed candidate. Failed academic. Failed commentator. Failed intellectual. A massive ego wrapped around a shrivelled and scared intellect, poisoned by bile and subconcious awareness of his own inadequacy.

Ed Davey, LibDem leader, told PMQs of a British Indian friend told by canvassers for the Reform party that her citizenship should be revoked so she could be deported

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that eats 3 Bhunas and a Naan with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now a-hungover Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here

Once more unto the breach, once more; Stiffen the sinews, summon the blood Reject that vile Americana with hard-favour'd rage Lay not your eye on the Chicago pizza or Easy Cheese Such ill-favoured, god-damned victuals The game's afoot: Upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!

DO YOU WANT TO SEE A WAFFLE HOUSE IN PICCADILY? WANT TO CALL THAT RAGGED-ASS WENDY YOUR QUEEN? DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO BE EATING POP TARTS FOR BREAKFAST?

We shall not flag or fail, We shall go on to the end, We shall fight in the resturants, We shall fight on the forums and socials, We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the memes, We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, We shall never surrender,

The Americans are now awake. Its time to repost this.

The lesson of this is the one we learned in the 30s. You cannot appease fascism; you must destroy it.

If England win tonight they'll face Mexico next. The two countries in this world cup where I've had the best Mexican food.

'Fiercely hetrosexual for bluesky' checking in

yes because they are only spending about 30p a day on fresh vegetables this framing is designed to turn people against green levies, obviously and forget the horrific heatwave we’ve been living through

Nothing will satisfy anti-immigration campaigners. So we should give them nothing.

Social and cultural values matter to people. The right, most especially the far right understand this and are throwing the kitchen sink at it, and look how much they’re achieving off the back of it. It’s time to do the same - and without mercy.

Genuinely an amazing line to have in a impact assessment. Top level. 'Just trust us bro'

What I find more concerning is how many other Europeans now say stuff like this ('Too many black people in Paris' is the other one that's becoming more common)

I think he should read the Bible. Its really quite clear on this. 'You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt'

Have just checked and we are now at 87 Labour MPs that have signed the EDM against the EHRC Code of Practice. By my estimation that puts us just shy of 40% of the backbenches – and we still have over a week to go.

Gambling is very much one of the things that turns me into a 19C victorian moralist and this us why. It destroys lives for.... nothing, typically. Even un the UK we need far stronger restrictions on it, let alobe the US

Oh, we're doing Jeremy Hunt part 2 are we. Great.

Shabana going for a new approach for Labour of governing right while talking left. Not convinced MP's are going to be hoodwinked

It's been noted how the Burnham campaign is being run out of a social club - that shouldn't feel countercultural. Labour needs to rediscover is social soul to both govern and sustain change in a hyperpolitical period. Fortunately there is a chance to do that, and a zeitgeist to build on.

The differences between the responses to this article on Bluesky and X would fuel a dissertation on social media and information silos

This is a TikTok trend but felt it worth sharing here - the inevitable Netflix documentary about Nigel’s mystery millions…

I seem to remember these running around Lambeth and Southwark a few years ago - potentially the trial was discontinued due to them being vandalised. I have no real issue with them but, if they get in the way of a pedestrian, you should have the right to tip them over and steal their contents.

Consulted is a ... interesting choice of word here

Oliver, she compared Bridget Philipson to the Gestapo and Ed Miliband to a Nigerian dictator at random. Thats not a breath of fresh air. That's random mentalness.

The key to the Abba show is that the Abbatars are a tiny part of it; a gimmick and a illusion. It spends a huge amount of time getting you not to look to closely at them: it's incredibly clever. They're the focus for... maybe 1/3 of it? The rest is animation, visual effects and live performance.

This. Except for Ed Miliband. He's the one last acceptable fave.

The modern far-right is a very odd beast.