Dodgy rules delaying matches Random start times Ridiculous distances between venues Hydration breaks Banning a Somali ref The treatment of the Iran team Players and officials harassed by border guards and police And now the corrupt rescinding of Balogun’s ban The most farcical and corrupt WC ever?

Signed. We able-bodied cishet white men may be the last people to lose our rights. But lose them we will unless we stand up for and with everyone else.

"No 10 has so far refused to officially sack Tapp, saying “no decision” has been made by the prime minister." That is going to be the epitaph for this awful PM. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

This is a good week to sign this petition. www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/we...

Here's an off the wall thought. Today's politics are about the rich and powerful seeking policies that push the general public down Maslow's hierarchy of needs so that they are too worried about their basic needs to worry about things like accountability for the wrongdoing of the wealthy.

Actual result. Why does anyone take any notice of opinion polls for by-elections? And why do polls keep overestimating Reform?

This is something that needs to be shouted from the rooftops. Starmer is not protecting children FROM paedophiles. He is gift-wrapping children FOR them.

Sparks are one of the most exciting, innovative bands of all time, but one thing they are not is political. Or are they? Is there a reason why they dug out this George Bush-era song in their gig at Chelsea Hospital last night? www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv6G...

Here’s that book that Meta is so anxious you shouldn’t read, they silenced the author at the Hay Festival.

This sounds like an appalling case. I hope it's looked at again. But I really would have hoped that a former human rights barrister PM would have had the sense to say, "This is a live matter before the courts, and it would be wholly inappropriate for me to comment". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Well, this sure as hell needs to be more widely known. "The Labour Party leadership has caused uproar by banning its councillors from doing local deals with the Green Party." This is forcing Labour councillors to do deals with Tories. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Labour punching left and speeding right as always.

Who says there is never any good news these days? www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

This one is going to get hot dogged to death, isn’t it? www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

You will note the Prime Minister didn't hold a panicked press conference where he spoke at length about the importance of defeating Islamophobia and that the press didn't engage in a full scale hysteria operation.

So what's this bold new agenda in the King's Speech? Some high(?)lights. Anyone think this is what will revive Starmer's premiership? A Regulating for Growth Bill will allow for pilot schemes to boost innovation in areas like defence technology and AI-controlled ships

I thought it might be worth looking back at Dylan Difford's assessment of what would be a good/bad/indifferent night for the parties in the English council elections as a way of viewing the results with some of the post hoc spin taken out of them. dylandifford.substack.com/p/how-to-ass...

This deserves to be circulated. A former Red Cross staff member got in touch. She testifies about @zackpolanski.bsky.social's role. For transparency: her name is Brea Thibodeau. The whole thing is a desperate smear.

Ahead of this week's elections, and before all the spin merchants get to work, here is a really good piece analysing objectively what a good, bad or indifferent night for each of the parties would look like. Thank you @dylandifford.bsky.social. dylandifford.substack.com/p/how-to-ass...

An interesting article elaborating on the way Starmer has used the attacks in Golders Green for a political purpose. Lots of interesting information and reporting that mainstream media has left out here…

This is a huge story, Met Police illegally arrest Nadine Buzzard-Quashie, illegally record her using the toilet, then they embroil Northamptonshire Police to illegally arrest her a second time, then both forces lie about it. This should be a huge story, but I saw it on regional BBC Look East news.

No idea who she is, but she absolutely nails it.

A great result for free speech, for Universities, and for trans inclusion. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Happy #EdBallsDay to all who celebrate.

Oh God, they're going to argue they have been insufficiently fashy again, aren't they? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Oh look. It's "stopped clock" day.

Wow, can @labouruk.bsky.social MP @tomhayesmp.bsky.social give any reason why he’s taking @greenparty.org.uk leaflets from properties? This is unacceptable.

This should be fatal for Lammy. Yvette Cooper and Ollie Robbins on the record to the Select Committee that the Minister was informed of the final outcome. It should probably be fatal for Cooper too, who must also have known that the House was being misled.

A thought about developments over Iran. Trump’s power comes from the fear that he can do whatever he wants to other countries and he will win. Iran has shown that Trump and America are far weaker than they believed.

"Davey has been saying for some time now that Trump is not a reliable ally for the UK. The Iran war has made the claim much more plausible." Really? So before this, the Guardian considered that it was NOT plausible to consider Trump an unreliable ally?!! www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

That can't possibly backfire badly on Labour!

Ever think the Government is being dishonest in the way it consults? The Home Office has put out a call for evidence on its attempt to get rid of independent asylum appeals. It’s very wide ranging. They’ve given just 4 weeks for responses. Including the Easter holiday. www.gov.uk/government/c...

“Entering a football match in England and Wales without a ticket will become a criminal offence under new laws that come into force before Sunday's Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley.” www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

“An MP facing an electoral threat from Reform UK said if ministers backtrack "my seat will never be Labour again". They added: "I have seen the polling and the immigration policies are popular. Some people will never vote Labour unless we get a grip." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Hey, @flyingrodent.bsky.social, there's a wonderful thread here on how although Corbyn and Polanski were right about NATO, they're still wrong. bsky.app/profile/dsqu...

Another powerful report from @cassiarowland.bsky.social and the IfG, showing that the contribution of abolishing jury trials to clearing the backlogs will be negligible, and depends on very uncertain assumptions by Lammy. It may even save nothing and reduce the benefit of Leveson’s better measures.

Legal aid cuts in England have severely impacted access to justice, particularly for marginalised communities like Black and Minority Ethnic groups | Dr Elizabeth Peatfield

Yesterday evening, for the second time in a year, the Met Police raided Westminster Quaker Meeting House and arrested a number of young nonviolent activists. STATEMENT: www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Well, this news feels like it deserves rather more coverage than it is getting. The drone in Cyprus that led all the Sensibles to claim this justified defensive strikes on Iran... did NOT come from Iran. www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...

"GORTON!! ... DENTON!!! ... OH JESUS CHRIST!"

Here is the story, if you want to read more. Dreadful stuff www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/la...

@mrjamesob.bsky.social Bedford CC dealing with the bigots like an absolute boss.

I thought the mooted new Cabinet Secretary’s name rang a bell, here she is easing Mosley & Palantir into the top echelons of government/NHS @coricrider.com @goodlawproject.org @justtreatment.org @zackpolanski.bsky.social @adrianramsay.bsky.social @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social @eddavey.libdems.org.uk

We have a brilliant paralympian team that gives the lie to Trump’s disgusting 🐂💩. Mind you, that chicken 💩 is the expert in avoiding the front line. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...

#blueskylegal The Government has decided that it wants to seize the interest lawyers earn on their client accounts, which currently helps cover some of the costs of running their businesses that clients would otherwise have to pay. Deadline for responses 9th Feb. www.gov.uk/government/c...

Anyone know what I said to upset @davidallengreen.bsky.social that he is blocking me?

Happy Christmas Eve Eve lovely phone family. How's everyone feeling? 🤗 I know this can be a really difficult time of year for many of you. Here are some great support charities (UK) if you need them. There's never any shame in asking for help. Have a fabulous day ☕️ #HaveCourageAndBeKind ❤️

Can someone explain to me why concerns over inquests becoming a "lawyer's charter" have only emerged now that bereaved families are to get lawyers, and not when just the rich and powerful had them to sweep everything under the carpet? From the Observer.

Rare footage of St Paul’s Cathedral testing its giant flamethrower