Giorgia Meloni, PM of placid, rock-solid European democracy Italy, is soon to send congrats to her fourth prime minister of hot-headed, politically temperamental Britain.

If you can’t spot the sucker at a Versailles settlement, you are the sucker. Humiliating peace, large cash payments….

"WITNESS HISTORY IN DALLAS" is certainly a *choice* for an advertising slogan, FIFA.

World Cup’s started lads, maybe leave the coup for tomorrow eh?

It’s Carnsage

Absolutely staggering official social media put out by the England men’s cricket team. This is Rob Key, the MD, answering a question which is subtitled in the first frame.

yes “all they want to be is Irish,” a sentiment frequently expressed throughout places like *checks notes* the Shankill

Anyway, really keen to learn what "Manchesterism" teaches us about how to fund the Defence Investment Plan

As with everything, defence spending is complicated. Yes, we should spend more, but the MOD and predecessor depts have long history of epic wastefulness, so you can see why Reeves might baulk. Then there is the cakeist British public, who back increase as long as they don't have to pay for it.

"You know what defence needs. You made the argument for this powerfully in your speech at the Munich Security Conference back in February... I am now left with no other option than to submit my resignation as your Defence Secretary". Since John Healey only seems to be on X, here's his letter

Oh no, how sad

now that is a quote.

Anniversary of "Tommy Robinson" celebrating the D Day soldiers who needlessly gave up their lives by running into the sea.

PM Burnham to smother them in gravy

@survation.bsky.social Makerfield poll shows why Farage has been making eyes at the more swivel-eyed voters this week - Burnham has 10-point lead, Restore on 8% (caveat: sample size is 512)

Andy Burnham finally confirms that he will run in Labour leadership election to replace Keir Starmer if he wins Makerfield by-election dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15874789/Andy-Burnham-finally-confirms-run-Labour-leader-PM-wins-Makerfield-election.html

England's batting a reassuring constant at a difficult time

the people have heard about ridiculous Supermarket Sweep embezzlement and they like what they hear

Ukraine officially opens the St Petersburg Economic Forum. Warm memories and hot impressions guaranteed.

It's becoming an annual ritual, Nigel Farage hijacking a tragedy in a bid to talk up a summer of violence: 2024 was the Southport murders, 2025 migrant hotel demos and now this year the murder of Henry Nowak #PMQs

Burnham rules out a snap general election if he becomes PM www.dailymail.com/news/article...

I think this means it's the Jeremy Brett Granada TV series, which is very much the connoisseur's Holmes. bsky.app/profile/magn...

(if we’re being pedantic it is a Scottish bank holiday but some institutions, including the relevant court, take a local holiday a week before instead)

Sturgeon speaks: Ex-FM insists she was 'deceived and let down by a husband I loved' and knew nothing about his crimes.

“What is the charge? Owning a motorhome? A succulent German motorhome?”

Breaking: Nicola Sturgeon's estraged husband, Peter Murrell, has admitted to embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.

Reform's candidate Robert Kenyon said abortion was a "cowardly act of murder" and implied that people falsely claimed to have been raped He said: “Don’t dole out the ‘what if someone is raped by their brother’ arguement... don’t want babies? Use contreception! [sic]” observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

It’s a small aside in the grand scheme of things but he was able to stand as a candidate in the local elections two weeks ago after sharing these posts, which says something about his followers and their views.

It is *incredibly* shabby that the Green Party cited "family and personal reasons" for their Makerfield candidate dropping out, given it was actually in relation to sharing antisemitic posts. Had a right-wing party done the same, they'd be getting called out loudly here for it. And rightly so.

Green Party candidate for Makerfield by-election quits 10 hours after being unveiled dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15837195/Green-Makerfield-candidate-nurse-Israel-Gaza-genocide.html

Unnerving to me that literal MPs do not see why “security vetting gets a veto on whether elected MPs should take their seats” is not a good idea.

Hat tip to Getty for snapping King of the North with an actual whippet in Makerfield

The Polanskinistas putting ideological purity above all else, feels like nature is healing a bit

Interesting that Reform announced their Makerfield candidate today via press release and not a press conference. Almost like there is something that Nigel Farage would quite like to avoid answering questions about.

Feels like Burnham and Reform will both contest #Makerfield on a platform of 'going back to the way things used to be', only with different sepia-tinted visions of what that past looked like.

Andy Burnham uses speech in Leeds to concede that Brexit has been 'damaging; but adds: 'The last thing we should do right now is rerun those arguments.'

No10 not exactly helping Team Burnham this morning to shut down Brexit row. PM's spokesman reiterates oft-reported Starmer desire to get closer to EU without crossing red lines, but then sets out, at some length and with little prompting, the benefits of doing so and the weakness of Brexit deal.

Josh Simons appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern, forfeiting his Makerfield Commons seat www.gov.uk/government/n...

Well there we are then dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15824967/Labour-Nandy-Streeting-reopen-Brexit-wars.html

Today: Nandy kicks off by complaining about the 'feverish' speculation there might be a leadership challenge Yesterday:

Fun Sunday media round ahead. Lisa Nandy is technically out speaking for the Starmer government, but she pointedly shared a pic canvassing with Andy Burnham and Louise Haigh yesterday.

This list was clearly put together by people who don’t like reading for reading’s sake.

The writ not even moved for Makersfield and I have already seen my first 'positive response on the doorstep' tweet.

brb moving to Canada where they know how to dress on runs

A new far-right terror attack in the UK has been confirmed in court. Alina Burns, then 18, tried to behead an Iranian refugee who was standing outside a barber's shop in Bristol with an axe The attack took place on 2 August 2025 but a judge did not rule on 'terrorism connection' until today

Steve Reed on the media round this morning saying the PM is 'fine' and getting on with the job

We should start calling a parachuted candidate in a seat that has a high risk of blowing up in their face a Market Garden

Reform won all 8 Makerfield Wards - as assigned by ONS - at last week’s elections: Reform: 50.4% Labour: 22.7% Green: 10.9% Conservative: 9.9% Lib Dem: 3.8% Other: 2.2%

Massive gamble for Burnham, Makerfield is batting its eyes at Reform in a major way. Simons won with a 5,399 majority in 2024....