3 in 5 fear family separation absolutely monstrous www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Paul Gregg described the 4 waves of British poverty: pensioner poverty (action taken), worklessness (action taken), in-work poverty (less so, 55% non-pensioner families in poverty have someone in work), & an emerging 4th wave - our analysis shows sharp falls in real incomes for the very poorest.

If you missed our packed Unsung Britain conference yesterday you can watch it back! www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/unsun...

There is no reason the Home Office could not apply the same humanity to other refugees and migrants - instead we get this pointless, performative cruelty. Not to late to stop this - the consultation closes Friday and the govt still has the opportunity to reverse www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Tim Allan, Keir Starmer’s director of communications, has just quit his Downing Street role: “I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success."

I have today been informed that, despite personal assurances to the contrary, the Green party have once again used my image and misrepresented my words on a second leaflet circulated in Gorton and Denton ahead of the by-election. I have now lodged an official complaint with the returning officer.

The Home Office now describes asylum seekers as "illegal immigrants [living in hotels]" with no reference to the reason that these people are in government-funded accommodation is that this government has taken & will process the asylum claim from them in 98-99% of cases of unauthorised entry.

As the sweeping immigration crackdown in Minnesota continues, legal observers and officials say they have received a growing number of reports of federal agents impersonating construction workers, delivery drivers and in some cases anti-ICE activists. TAT: [Nationalism | Undermining Democracy]

Good morning. The President of the United States was in the middle of the most serious child sex trafficking ring of the last quarter century. He is referenced not a dozen times in the case files. Not 100 times. Not 1,000 times. He’s referenced 38,000 times.

Andre Ventura of Chega (change) running on anti-immigratiom slogans like "this isn't Bangladesh" and "Portugal is ours" has lost the Portugal presidential election in a landslide. He was second on 23% to 31% in the first round but losing about 30-70 in the run-off to socialist António José Seguro

So the Epstein scandal is about politics? Silly me for thinking it’s about the mass abuse of women and girls | Marina Hyde

I grew up with the Washington Post, wrote editorials for the Washington Post and published a column there for more than 15 years. To watch its owners destroy it, seemingly deliberately, in just a year and a half is devastating.

JRF estimates put the 'caring penalty' - the average amount of income lost by carers per year - at £5,000. ‼️ That's why the government can and must make a difference by strengthening the security net, including: - Increasing Carer’s Allowance - Introducing short- and long-term paid Carer's Leave

🫂 'Without stronger support, poverty rates for carers will continue to be higher' In the final of our short videos for #UKPoverty2026, Lead Analyst @datataha.bsky.social explains that carers face a far higher rate of poverty than those who don't have caring responsibilities 👇

Really interesting and important findings from @suttontrust.bsky.social on the relationship between SEND diagnosis and class. BUT that's not the whole story. A proper analysis of “double disadvantage” should *also* include intersectional analysis by race, class and SEND.

No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition. Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Third, journalists, non-profits, social media influencers, and everyday people need to be VERY discerning and careful about not amplifying unsubstantiated rumors about ICE or other law enforcement at or near the polls, because false rumors (even if well-meaning) WILL suppress the vote.

Bannon knows that deploying ICE to the polls constitutes illegal voter intimidation. So why is he encouraging Trump to break the law? Because he also knows this threat will work to suppress votes even if federal agents never get anywhere near the polls. The fear of ICE is enough to keep people home.

ICE at the polls! Bannon is basically yelling “fire” in a crowded theater here. His objective is to cause chaos (and suppress votes on the left). And it’s already working. This threat works on multiple levels and doesn’t have to be “real” to serve its purpose. Let me explain & offer some advice.

Alex Burghart MP has now called for a review of the circumstances around the award of Palantir's £240m defence contract, and asked why Mandelson's visit to Palantir's offices in Washington was kept off the books while the company was being represented by his firm, Global Council.

🚨🚨Given current situation and with the sharply deteriorating situation in #trumpland, I think it is unwise, imprudent and just a very bad idea for the EU to go ahead with plans to grant #US border authorities unprecedented access to Europeans’ data. 🧵 www.politico.eu/article/eu-m...

Thanks to @rsph.bsky.social for inviting @chrischirp.bsky.social & me to talk about AI, health, and our careers. shows.acast.com/67ec0a8b02e7...

Peter Mandelson is telling the truth on one thing: the idea he was bought for a $4k “bursary” or a $75k gift is ridiculous The real incentive was a post-government payday - one so big he *rejected* a $3–5m-a-year offer And Epstein enabled that payday Here’s the evidence. 🧵

Sad news from Wikipedia. Following lengthy discussion on the talk page, they've removed Matt Goodwin's claim to be the first in his family to go to university on the grounds that it [checks notes] isn't true. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Ma...

Looking at the Gorton and Denton contest is like a foretaste of a GE where voters are given multiple messages, ‘only X party can win here’ based on - often - relatively poor data and bewildering changes in the national picture 🤯. I’m concerned about how we could provide decent information.

“It’s just weird to see a toddler in a pink onesie getting their eyes washed out from tear gas, you know?”

'Retrospectivity is un-British' - Labour MP @tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social told a packed Westminster Hall debate that plans to double migrants' wait for settlement must be abandoned. 'Let us be a country that always honours its debts, not just its financial ones, but its moral ones too'👏Thank you Tony

Despite the good quality of this debate, there's a lack of consideration given to the proposed penalties for access to benefits, which are likely to punish individuals and families unevenly. Families with children & those in need will be discouraged from accessing support.

Encouraging to see so many MPs raise concerns about the gov's earned settlement reforms & refugee reforms that will inflict harm to children & families especially those on low-income, ppl in need & marginalised groups & pushing more into poverty...

there's a lot in this piece but the Mandelson email about angling for some kind of job at JP Morgan because 'i do not want to live by salary alone' just exemplifies everything people hate about politicians, the City, and revolving doors between the two www.ft.com/content/91e8...

Marginal tax rates for graduates with student loans – add interest and another 6% for postgrads. £25,000: 37% £50,270: 51% £100,000: 71%

With Palantir and Mandelson both back in the news, it’s worth revisiting this — the Epstein/Mandelson/Thiel connection, and how Mandelson’s lobbying company introduced Starmer to the Palantir team bylinetimes.com/2025/09/12/p...

Goodwin literally had a hissy fit when Alan Rusbridger & David Aaronovitch went for dinner after an event they all did together & chose not to ask him. He’s palpably desperate to go to fictional dinner parties that exist only in his warped imagination. Instead he gets to suck lemons with 30p Lee.

BREAKING: Iran’s supreme leader warned the United States that if “they start a war, this time it will be a regional war.” The comments from the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the most-direct threat he’s made so far.

Humane and sensible step move by Spain in facilitating irregular migrants and asylum seekers to move to work with decent pay, social security and tax payments. Predictably the right is grumbling - unlike the UK, the govt isn’t allowing this to set their policies www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

It is quite striking that Konstantin Kisin simply denied (falsely) on BBC1 that he had said what he said, word for word, on his podcast.

My first remarks since being arrested last night.

Extraordinary scenes, day after day in Minneapolis. Bravery, resilience and inspiration. Today’s view (Jan 30, 2026). #ICEOUT #shutdown (🎥 Nadine Babu)

The City’s Budget is our future. And you deserve to know how it works.

Statement from CNN on the Don Lemon arrest:

This isn’t about convicting Don Lemon. It’s unlikely that will happen. It’s about intimidating journalists & making them censure themselves out of fear of consequences. It’s about eroding the free press because the administration can’t afford the criticism.

lol what

The head of a government is suing that government for $10bn and one really doesn’t know where to start. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

🚨🚨 NEW BLOGPOST 🚨🚨 The right wing should be worried about young men. Unlike Europe and the US, British young men are swinging wildly behind progressive parties. Some thoughts on why, and why most of the right are ignoring it. open.substack.com/pub/joxleywr...

Palantir’s stated mission is to defend America. Peter Thiel is a radical libertarian who does not believe ‘freedom & democracy are compatible’. Yet, the UK is overwhelmingly dependent on Palantir’s services. As a national security threat, this is off the charts. @thenerve.news 2/

ETA requirements: www.gov.uk/guidance/ele...

Reminder for my fellow UK dual/multi nationals that from 25 Feb 2026 you MUST travel into the UK on a UK or Irish passport. You will no longer be able to travel to the UK on another passport — quite the change from the status quo, and problematic for those of us who travel frequently…🧵

Mr Jenrick made a highly implausible case for secrecy about government spending. (Imagine the Starmer government saying this about a UK/EU agreement!)

Paul Kagame's Rwanda government got £290 million from the UK government/taxpayer - for very little beyond three press conferences (with a new Home Secretary each time). The attempt to seek another £100 million shows a striking level of chutzpah www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...