The last remaining person in Parliament who served in the Armed Forces in the Second World War retired on Wednesday. Labour peer Lord Christopher, aged 101, bowed out, 81 years after WWII ended.

Had some messages from Reformers who want Robert Kenyon, the Makerfield candidate who won 32% in 2024. “He’s our Hannah Spencer”, says one - a reference to Kenyon’s job as a plumber. Emphasises local roots and the base’s tradition in a high-profile, high-stakes race.

How to mislead, stir up racial hatred and division: @mariannaspringbbc.bsky.social ’s very important #BBCPanorama investigation explores how #AI slop is shaping what we see, what we believe+who we can #trust. In the age of artificial intelligence, will seeing ever be believing again? On #BBCiPlayer

@mariannaspringbbc.bsky.social: ‘many people do not seem to care if content is #AI-generated or not. "As long as it resonates with their identity and world-view they will often still endorse the content and share it with others because it signals agreement with a larger agenda," he said.’

The state of Russia.

Michael Crick: ‘MAKERFIELD: Will Reform again pick Robert Kenyon, who ran in 2024, a plumber (like Green winner in Gorton & Denton, Hannah Spencer)? Kenyon was elected for Bryn with Ashton-in-Makerfield ward to Wigan Council last week. He's served in British Army & worked 6 years in NHS.’

Politics UK: ‘🚨 NEW: Sir John Curtice says Labour would have "less than 5% chance" in the Makerfield by-election "if it were anyone other than Andy Burnham" He adds it's one of the tightest Labour-Reform contests and a "much tougher" election to win than Gorton and Denton [@politico]’

such a good piece

Noa Hoffman, Spectator: ‘EXCL: Reform UK will open its candidate selection for Makerfield TONIGHT and applications will close this SUNDAY. A Reform source said: “We’re not wasting any time.”’

BBC’s Joe Pike: NEW: Starmer loyalist and regular ‘minister for the morning round’ James Murray is the new Health Secretary. Lucy Rigby takes his old gig as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

BBC’s Michael Buchanan: ‘I’m hearing a lot of concerns about what Wes Streeting’s resignation means for the various maternity reviews that have been announced. Streeting spent a considerable amount of time listening to harmed+bereaved families, sometimes against the wishes of his officials.’ 1/

James Murray is the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Welfare spending (which includes pensions) was, in fact, higher than income tax receipts throughout the entirety of Kemi Badenoch's ministerial career.

Tice threw him out of Reform for saying Sunak and I would never be British. He stood in Dover (getting 0.4%) but is now campaigning vocally for Restore and for "total remigration" of all UK-born minorities, including Mahmood, Badenoch, Yusuf + Habib specifically bsky.app/profile/sund...

Mr Steve Laws, an advocate of "total remigration" (who has proposed proactive racist harassment of ethnic minorities offline & online at every opportunity would make minorities want to leave the country) says he will be in court next month. I don't know if anybody knows where.

@davidgauke.bsky.social: ‘At the next election, the Conservatives are going to need the tactical votes of supporters of left of centre parties to prevail in Tory/Reform marginals. But that won't happen if those voters conclude that a Tory vote means a Reform administration.’

On now BBC Four and BBC player a lost episode of the Morecambe and Wise show from 1968 in tribute to Eric Morecambe who was born 100 years ago today.

BBC Bitesize for Teachers: This newly-published assembly framework for #NationalNumeracyDay aims to build confidence with everyday mathematical applications by inviting students to play along with a fictional maths game and use their numeracy skills to plan out a party! 🎉 bbc.in/42sWXWL

@fullfact.org: ‘The Conservatives’ Alternative King’s Speech claimed the welfare bill is higher than income tax receipts “for the first time ever”. We’ve heard this a few times recently, but it’s not true. Welfare spending (including pensions) has been higher for years.’

BBC Persian’s Ghoncheh Habibiazad: ‘Iran’s IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) has officially announced in a statement that since last night a number of Chinese ships have begun passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.’

@patrickmaguire.bsky.social: ‘Counterpoint: Keir Starmer on the ballot here. Burnham wins *62 per cent* in Makerfield in 2024 mayoral.’

@alexwickham.bsky.social: ‘An ally of Andy Burnham says he is intentionally going for a Reform-facing seat to show he can win and beat them in a general election’

@luketryl.bsky.social ‘Doing this health warning now: MRP projections or UNS swings of Makerfield aren't designed for by-elections. They don't take account of specific nature of by-elections+Burnham's personal vote which from every focus group I can tell you is real. IMO Burnham starts as favourite’

@patrickmaguire.bsky.social: Eight Makerfield wards voted last week. Results: Reform: 50.4% Labour: 22.7% Green: 10.9% Conservative: 9.9% Lib Dem: 3.8% Other: 2.2%

@hzeffman.bsky.social: EXCLUSIVE Sir Keir Starmer will not seek to block Andy Burnham from becoming the Labour candidate in Makerfield, the BBC understands. An ally of Keir Starmer said: “Keir is focused on bringing the party together so it can tackle the issues facing working families.”

This was the 2024 result in Makerfield, where Josh Simons is standing down to allow Andy Burnham to return to Parliament. It's going to be really, really tough for Burnham to win it.

Josh Simons MP resigns: “Today, I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so that #AndyBurnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for’

BBC’s Tom Edward’s: ‘BREAKING: The Conservative group leader Cllr Adam Kent who hatched a deal with the Greens and Lib Dems to overthrow Reform at Worcestershire County Council today, has been suspended by the party. CCHQ comment - you couldn’t make this up….👇👇’

Keir Starmer's letter to Wes Streeting is pretty decent tbh Worth noting he doesn't seem to have sent one to any of the junior ministers who resigned earlier this week...

@faisalislam.bsky.social: “Gilt market rather unmoved by Streeting eventually resigning although without announcing any leadership bid, despite allies assuring everyone he has got the numbers… brief pop up in 10y yields and then fairly steady decline and now back below 5%…”

Exactly. Also true of the Conservatives. And, under FPP, Reform can get a majority on 28%, or could win under 100 seats on 26% - fragmentation plus volatility = chaos under first past the post

Thinking alike.

How is a “reward” for #NigelFarage, of £5m, for 27 years of ‘giving up his life’ to campaign for #Brexit (suddenly no longer a gift for his personal security) not political?

NUJ members at the BBC who produce programmes including The World Tonight and Newshour will walk out on strike on Monday and take action short of a strike after that, in a dispute over proposed shift increases www.nuj.org.uk/resource/bbc...

@faisalislam.bsky.social #information #facts on the #economy:

The sacrifice of St Nigel. #NigelFarage to the Sun’s Harry Cole. Claims he “can’t be bought by anybody” is not+has never been “a crook”,+the £5m was a ‘ #reward for campaigning for #Brexit for 27 years” "It's very unusual for someone to give up 27 years of their life to campaign for something”

BBC’s Tom Edwards: SPECIAL REPORT: #Reform leadership collapses at #Worcestershire County Council - with a Tory, Green, Lib Dem and independent coalition grabbing power. We’ll have more on Midlands Today, 6.30pm tonight on BBC1.

@frasernelson.bsky.social: “Curiouser and curiouser. How did Farage go from being "skint" (his words) to buying a £1.4m house for cash in just a few years - before, as he now tells us, the extra £5m gift from Thailand?”

Nigel Farage: ‘This is fake news by the establishment media who will do anything to hurt Reform as we challenge their cosy consensus. I had passed proof-of-funds and the relevant checks before receiving the gift. Sky News did not publish that part of our statement despite knowing the truth.’

Please listen to @timdurrant.bsky.social on this splendid @instituteforgovernment.org.uk podcast about how governing is about choosing between often unsavoury alternatives - and sticking to the choice! pca.st/episode/7104...

Noah Keate: NEW: Labour MPs are not happy about the Playbook scoop that Morgan McSweeney is back helping No 10 with the leadership crisis. One told me they’re “appalled” by the news, a second was “very disappointed” and a third called the move “fucking crazy” and “how to wind up MPs.”

Wes Streeting resigns.

“Excl: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage bought a £1.4m property in cash shortly after receiving a £5m personal gift from billionaire donor Christopher Harborne, according to property records seen by Sky News. Reform spox: "The offer and process for purchase of this property commenced before the gift"’