Do Farage Cult hi priests know where Northants is?

UK overseas aid cuts to outstrip those of Trump administration ft.com/content/ad52bf… via @ft This is sad, bad. Labour gov out-Trumping Trump in severity of aid cuts to poorest in world

People who voted LEAVE in the 2016 referendum on Brexit have the right to say: “this is not what I was told, it’s not what we were promised, and it’s damn well not what I voted for” Brexit was sold on lies A democracy that cannot change its mind is no longer a democracy 🇬🇧🇪🇺

Adam Mitula, Reform Interim Campaign Manager in Tameside oosts on social media, includes his suggestion that “60-70%” of transgender people are paedophiles, the fact he would “never touch a Jewish woman”, and his use of the n-word. Will Farage remove him?

Starmer U-turns on cancelling some council elections after Reform wins legal challenge. Gov will pay Reform legal costs. Is there anyone in Downing St who does politics ?

UK migration could be negative this year – how will that hit the economy? Universities, builders and health trusts are feeling the squeeze, as thinktank says effect of zero net migration could be similar to Brexit

"Radical" one of most noble words in the political lexicon. In France, media refer to Marine Le Pen as "extrême-droite". In conversation with Germans they talk of "Nazis" when describing AfD hate politics. But English commentariat bestow "radical" on Farage hate ethnonationalism @samfr.bsky.social

On @TimesRadio Tory party @ClaireCoutinho in interview on how schools handle transition problems is repeatedly corrected by presenter over small factual errors. Tory line remains all so much better when Truss, Johnson, Sunak in charge. Now she’s excusing Tory gov. Can’t move on

Good to read @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social in New World on what he delicately calls his “complicated” relationship w P Mandelson. As everyone who took advantage of Mandelson’s advice or encouragement now dumps on him as if politics was a clean good honest game good to read something balanced

French radio reporting former Sarkozy aide linked to Epstein now advising far right Marine Le Pen. Socialists calling full public enquiry into links between top French and Epstein. Do we need similar in U.K.

60 years ago a topTory used very similar language about immigrants to Sir Jim Ratcliffe. He was firmly condemned by Leader of Tories then in opposition who went on to win next election and become PM. Will Kemi Badenoch condemn such hate language as unacceptable or keep flirting with Farage m?

Antonia Romeo the woman PM favours to head civil service faced charges over an attempt to spend over $100,000 on redecorating her residence, when a dip in New York + she pushed staff to ask British companies for free, high-end, items. Inspired by MPs exes? @andrewrawnsley.bsky.social

Robert Buckhurst writing in U.K.biggest circulation paper Metro U.K. is concerned about Farage hostility to helping poor families and writes : “Does Farage really hate his own countryfolk and their offspring so much as to want to leave them destitute?”

Rachel Reeve says "3 big economic blocks" shaping global trade. US, China, EU. Thus "integration" with EU represents the "biggest prize" due to its geographic proximity to the UK. But then goes on to say Johnson-Truss vision of Brexit can't be discussed. Same old, @richardcorbett.bsky.social

If Jews have forgotten what far right ethnonationalist politics does to their community that is worrying. In 1930s Daily Mail then openly antisemitic published Chelsea address of British Union of Fascists and urged its readers to sign up as British Nazi party members

Uncharacteristically mild wording from Ian but unerringly accurate as always.

Patrick 0’Connell lives in Gorton+Denton by-election constituency writes+writes in UK’s biggest circulation paper @MetroUK “My neighbours and I agree that voting for Reform would be supporting a divisiveness and level of unkindness that would (hurt) our wonderful neighbourhood”

Tim Allan was very nice young French speaking member of Blair écurie 1997 but went off smartish to create own firm doing big biz corporate comms. He was never a Campbell or a Mandelson controlling media agenda. Starmer has never had a comms chief in same league as Ali or Mandy

Kensington Palace expressing concern about Epstein revelations as next King (William) flies to show royal support for a regime that is one of the most systemic abusers of women in the world and doesn’t impose 20 year jail sentences on a critic but has him chopped up in Turkish consulate

Three years ago we made an early News Agents on the student loan scandal and the sky high marginal tax rates it creates. Three years on, govts since have made it all worse still. We’ve made a special follow up, centred on our listeners own experiences. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Powerful Gordon Brown interview. But lobbying, direct corruption will never end until democracy pays for democracy. As long as Labour, Tories etc rely on money from people, firms, unions who want laws, policy changed in their favour no change possible @rachelblakemp.bsky.social

By far the best thing you'll read today on l'affaire Mandelson by Lewis Goodall asking why he along with every editor and journalist did not point out the well-known links with Epstein when PM's name was in play as Ambo to US? @lewisgoodall.com @goodallandgoodluck.substack.com/p/what-starmer…

Far-Right France. Le Pen, Bardella and the Future of Europe, by @DenisMacShane My note on an important reporter's (not pundit's) examination of how France will vote next year open.substack.com/pub/denismacsh…. .

Labour MP calling for AI replace Starmer? It’s a thought

Washington Post to fire 300 journalists as owner Jeff Bezos spends $70 mn on puff film about Melania Trump. This is a global media news story as coverage of Trump is so important. just heard it on @franceinfo - surely worth a BBC line but R4 7 am ran non story on mother of US TV celeb who’s missing

BBC R4 runs in its main news bulletin a story on minor US TV personality whose mother has disappeared. I’m sure it’s sad for family but obsession of BBC with covering minor US stories while ignoring important U.K. or European news needs looking at @lewisgoodall.com @soniasodha.bsky.social

Just heard Stewart Jackson being pompous on Mandelson on WATO. As MP he had to repay £50k in fiddled exes. Tory and Lib Dem MPs were protected under Cameron-Clegg gov from prosecution. He claimed £66, 772 in home improvements inc swimming pool, refurb of library @stephenkb.bsky.social

EU exports have outperformed US Q1 2024-Q3 2025 reports Bruegel. Brexit UK exports declined sharply over same period. Can we drop rubbish that U.K. doesn’t need Europe economically as US and rest of world will more than replace trade with Europe

Stand by for xenophobia from Farage Cult and Tories reaction to Labour’s choice of a Greek immigrant Angeliki Stogia as by election candidate. She came to study at Manchester University 20 years ago and made a successful career in transport engineering in new and as effective Labour Councillor.

French radio reporting that main centre right party Les Républicains can’t run presidential candidate next spring as they have no money to run campaign. French party funding based on number of deputies + like Tories LR don’t have many. If confirmed far right RN Prez in 🇫🇷 2027 @fromtga.bsky.social

de Gaulle is not a model for Starmer as Paul Ovenden argues in N Statesman. After raising the flag of France with Churchill’s help in 1940 de Gaulle was briefly prime minister in 1946. He indulged in wars to keep Vietnam and N Africa French. He was inept at domestic politics @tommctague.bsky.social

by-election poll from Gorton + Denton shows Reform winning REF - 30% 📷LAB - 27% 📷GRN - 17% 📷CON - 6% 📷LD - 2% Don't knows - 18% Via @FindoutnowUK It's only a poll and no idea if polling firm has good record. But looks like Greens will hand seat to Farage. Thnx @zackpolanski.bsky.social

Macron authorises sale of key defence industry firm LMB Aerospace to US firm Loar. Left and right attacking Macron for selling off defence firms to Trump. Bit odd given Macron’s incessant calls for European defence procurement autonomy @jonhenley.bsky.social

My one point of sympathy with the Jenrickites is that it is genuinely *mad* how so much of the commentary around Badenoch ignores that she took over a party polling in the high 20s, winning council by-elections, and has turned it into a party polling in the high teens.

I’ll vote for any politician who treats the nation’s children with verbal respect by calling them “children” not by neologism “kids” imported from US. French radio calls French children “enfants” not “gosses”

In France Jean-Luc Mélenchon far left anti semitic leader of LFI steals far-right term and calls for a “great replacement” of existing local leaders in municipal election by new ones that will back him in French presidential election next year

"This is the increasing worry among many Labour MPs and ministers: they see Starmer as simply unable to resurrect the party and hold off what is viewed by them as the utterly terrifying prospect of a Reform government.

behold this archive video from 2015 of Starmer backing Burnham for Labour leader

Advert in C10 bus Pimlico. Bravo. More please

In FT @stephenkb.bsky.social points out A Burnham failed twice to win Lab MPs support to be leader in 2010 + 2015. True but Lab MPs chose 2 leaders who led Labour to defeat. I watched Burnham in HoC and he didn’t bother schmoozing MPs but got on with politics. Q now is who keeps Lab MPs seats 2029

Every letter in U.K.’s biggest circulation paper MetroUK is an attack on Trump often from Trump 1 supporters and many urging a stronger Europe including 🇬🇧 as best response. Farage and many Tories have been big Trump fanboys/girls but now out of touch w public mood as is dwindling band of Brexiters

Quelle surprise. PVV like UKIP now Reform is a complete 1 man show. No internal democracy. No party debates that count. Whatever Geert or Nigel want is all that matters

Any attempt to change the status quo in Greenland would be “disastrous” and a “direct challenge to NATO,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Monday. Turkey’s Islamist rulers like Trump on Greenland would love to incorporate Greek islands into Turkey and reply on NATO to prevent that

Wow! Closet Farageist Robert Jenrick fired from shadow cabinet as Badenoch says he planned to defect. It would look like strong leadership were Kemi not constantly sending signals she shares Farage line on key issues

Big thank you to @martinkettle.bsky.social for decades of informed thoughtful reporting, analysis and comment on U.K., US, European politics in the Guardian. We’ll miss you and you haven’t been replaced so far @katharineviner.bsky.social last column here

Very queasy as @danielkebedeneu.bsky.social boss of big teachers’ union refuses on Today to condemn anti/Jewish ban by some of members at a school. I know all the weasel word excuses but they don’t work. “Keine Juden hier” means only one thing

In most democracies water supply is a public service run by skilled professional engineers and managers who are well paid. Only in U.K. was water given to financial engineer spivs with no culture of public service. Why is it impossible to say a monopoly public service should be owned differently?

2 wins for democracy rue of law this morning. Musk agrees w women of Britain + Starmer to end sexualising women’s image on Grok. Farage and Tory Far right screeching this DOM practice was about media freedom look idiots. Then 2 Palestine Action activists give up hunger strike.

In FT @stephenkb.bsky.social has thoughts on this. Like HS2 we’ll get ID cards maybe next century @lewisgoodall.com