Sometimes, the best memories come from leaving early. Other times, you're stuck at a wedding on a boat, wondering just how cold the Thames *really* is in March. ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/let-it-go-... My newsletter, out now.

I appreciate the bit, but what bugs me about this dude is that... very good teams, even *title-winning* teams, frequently do not win five games in a row. It's just not a useful metric.

You say this, but when I worked at the Treasury, I found out the date of the Budget via Gladstone the cat’s Instagram story.

oh, Jack has nailed something here: the idea of assigning an age to someone is bang on. My parents are forever in their late 40s; my dad being nearly 87 is a shock each time I see him. Ditto John Major being 82. My nieces are all forever about 11, etc etc

True story: in early 1979, James Callaghan considered splitting the Treasury in two, with Roy Hattersley inheriting one half and David Owen the other. The PM asked Hattersley which he'd prefer. Hattersley replied: “The part that’s called Chancellor of the Exchequer.”

This is a lovely interview. Even Brandreth is tolerable.

New Swingometer! A special guest post from @philipjcowley.bsky.social looking at party switching by MPs and how the recall petition may not be the hero we were looking for, but might be the hero we need… open.substack.com/pub/swingome...

Sometimes, the best memories come from leaving early. Other times, you're stuck at a wedding on a boat, wondering just how cold the Thames *really* is in March. ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/let-it-go-... My newsletter, out now.

Who will take Labour back into Europe? Customs Union for all! Single Market for many! The next leadership contest is a race to see who can be the most pro-EU. My newsletter, out now.

Maybe downstream of the American protein rush but Greek yoghurt's having a moment, isn't it?

So it looks like Chris Wormald will be leaving his job as cabinet secretary I wrote this just before he was appointed - did he achieve these tasks? www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

1. Got bigger 2. Got smaller 3. Yes 4. No

Who will take Labour back into Europe? Customs Union for all! Single Market for many! The next leadership contest is a race to see who can be the most pro-EU. My newsletter, out now.

Alistair Campbell’s exit was a blow to Blair because he was good at his job. But his departure did not — and was never going to — fundamentally alter the direction of the government. Because that was set by Blair himself! ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/morgan-mcs... My newsletter, out now.

Alistair Campbell’s exit was a blow to Blair because he was good at his job. But his departure did not — and was never going to — fundamentally alter the direction of the government. Because that was set by Blair himself! ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/morgan-mcs... My newsletter, out now.

I'm sure you all get this first time but when I first heard the voice, I was surprised by who this was.

It shouldn't matter *this much* who the prime minister's chief of staff is. Senior advisors ought to be downstream from strategy — not the other way around! My newsletter, out now.

Regret to inform the House that I’ve downloaded Championship Manager 01/02.

Christ alive I've seen some political eviscerations in my time, but Brian Walden on Harold Wilson is a disembowelment.

Niche but regret that @semafor.com's Mixed Signals podcast has changed its theme music, as I enjoyed saying "Billy Libby" in my head the way Elaine in Seinfeld says 'casus belli'.

Why must Brexit be discussed 'sotto voce'? Why is 'orthogonal' everywhere all of a sudden? Gosh, 'imbibe' is having a moment, isn't it? The strange words journalists can't stop using. My newsletter, out now.

Why must Brexit be discussed 'sotto voce'? Why is 'orthogonal' everywhere all of a sudden? Gosh, 'imbibe' is having a moment, isn't it? The strange words journalists can't stop using. My newsletter, out now.

Theresa May’s impotence. Boris Johnson’s scandals. Liz Truss’s management of opposition day debates. Keir Starmer has crammed a decade of Tory missteps into 18 months. My newsletter, out now.

Weirdly defensive — "Before anyone asks, the fridge was like this when I got there" — tone from the ECB.

I know the PCB have bigger problems at present but how is there not a Bar bar bar Babar Azam chant?

A 25-minute video that frankly could have been a feature film.

I did a piece for @brookings.edu trying to make sense of what's going on in British politics. Back to the future? British politics in 2026 www.brookings.edu/articles/bac...

This is good.

Theresa May’s impotence. Boris Johnson’s scandals. Liz Truss’s management of opposition day debates. Keir Starmer has crammed a decade of Tory missteps into 18 months. My newsletter, out now.

British politics loves an 'Australian-style' policy: immigration, trade, social media bans. But when the Reserve Bank of Australia raises interest rates due to sticky inflation and weak productivity, that enthusiasm mysteriously vanishes. My newsletter, out now.

British politics loves an 'Australian-style' policy: immigration, trade, social media bans. But when the Reserve Bank of Australia raises interest rates due to sticky inflation and weak productivity, that enthusiasm mysteriously vanishes. My newsletter, out now.

🎾 What's your number? Somewhere along the way, the number of grand slam titles became the sole measure of greatness. It wasn't always so simple. My newsletter, out now.

The banter heuristic here would be that any Treasury official receiving a £100,000 payout can only use it for capital, not current spending.

I have decided that ALL physical analogies for the economy are rubbish. open.substack.com/pub/gileswil... Income is not located in a place. Money doesn't flow. The economy isn't a machine. Or a body. There's no meaningful "fuel".

🎾 What's your number? Somewhere along the way, the number of grand slam titles became the sole measure of greatness. It wasn't always so simple. My newsletter, out now.

When John F. Kennedy vowed to "bear any burden" and "support any friend" to secure liberty, the US wasn't even a multiracial democracy. It's never been domestic tranquility that keeps alliances together. It's the hegemon's reliability. My newsletter, out now.

When John F. Kennedy vowed to "bear any burden" and "support any friend" to secure liberty, the US wasn't even a multiracial democracy. It's never been domestic tranquility that keeps alliances together. It's the hegemon's reliability. My newsletter, out now.

I regret noticing the fingers.

This is good, from @duncanweldon.bsky.social

I'm a sports obsessive. I listen to the podcasts, read the match reports and discuss the finer points with friends. But I never watch a single match. Am I — and try not to let my intense vulnerability become a factor here — alone? ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/watching-i... My newsletter, out now.

"No! Harry, no! Don't look at the light!" "I can't help it. It's so beautiful."

Djokovic won 0 (zero) sets in his previous two rounds and... is in the semi-finals.

I'm a sports obsessive. I listen to the podcasts, read the match reports and discuss the finer points with friends. But I never watch a single match. Am I — and try not to let my intense vulnerability become a factor here — alone? ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/watching-i... My newsletter, out now.

My take on the government's plan for police reform: a welcome attempt at ambitious, long-term change – but one that risks making police leadership and accountability too remote from local areas 🧵 www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/poli...

Why Starmer won't give the Carney speech. Britain and Canada are both badly exposed to Trump's America — but in different ways. My newsletter, out now.

Very good. Carney's position is "the gorilla next to me is looking at my food and licking his lips, help!" while Starmer's is more "my assistance animal is getting distracted". Both bad positions but the appropriate response is different (also the analogies are not perfect)

Interesting alternative take on UK-Canada dynamics. We could do with a lot more takes on this neglected topic in my view.

Why Starmer won't give the Carney speech. Britain and Canada are both badly exposed to Trump's America — but in different ways. My newsletter, out now.

U-turns lead to better outcomes, but too many are toxic to party discipline. Why take one for the team today if the policy — or the leader — could be gone tomorrow? My newsletter, out now.

U-turns lead to better outcomes, but too many are toxic to party discipline. Why take one for the team today if the policy — or the leader — could be gone tomorrow? My newsletter, out now.