I don't have any problem with the idea of "putting the UK at the heart of Europe". That is honourable. But it is dishonest to pretend that the UK can be at the heart as: a non-member; that maintains the May-Johnson redlines. The core of Europe remains the €zone.

As others have likely already pointed out, politicians are to blame because they could have easily taxed the online retailers in order to protect the physical retail sector. But they didn't.

To state the absolutely bleeding anatomically obvious we can’t be “at the heart” of something we are not actually in.

He resigned because of principled objections to racist rhetoric by other Reform councillors Joking! He actually resigned because of his own racist comments, of course (this is a *different* racist comment guy to the Sunderland racist comment guy, who is still in Reform)

This is a perennial issue on our estate, which as built, assumed that no-one would have their own washing machine and therefore most of the retail space would be laundrettes. Unsurprisingly, this has left a lot of retail space that flickers in and out of use.

it’s such shibboleth of modern politics to blame politicians for failing town centres when the primary driver is - surely - all of us buying more and more stuff online

Do you want to help shape the future of libraries? Would you like a £10 book voucher? Help to shape a new national website for #ScottishLibraries - share your ideas and feedback, and you’ll receive a £10 book voucher as a thank you. Scan the QR code to find out more.

What motivates him is that "prime minister, 2024-27" sounds quite a bit better than "prime minister, 2024-26"

In the Global Pulse 2026 dataset, the US is now seen as the world's largest geopolitical threat. Source: buff.ly/3FOKOqN

Scary diagram on how much of our daily lives would fall apart if somehow we were cut off from US tech. Tech sovereignty and resilience is going to be costly! www.ft.com/content/4c3a...

So we understand the substance of UK-EU relations now - any substantive change requires pounds, people, and positivity in Brussels. Rather, today's Starmer speech will instead be greeted by Brussels as the latest of many cries for help from a lost UK PM.

Shouldn't need saying but this too is obviously correct.

It is notable that most of the comments under this mention the £5million crypto "gift". Farage's strategy seems to be to avoid places where he might get asked about that until hacks get bored and the circus moves on.

Jelle Postma vertelde al dat crimineel en neo-nazi Tommy Robinson de politieke connecties van Baudet #fvd inzet om extreemrechts een nog groter podium te geven.

De verkiezingen in de VK laten een voorbeeld zien van 'incumbency disadvantage' (ambtsdragernadeel), een relatief nieuw fenomeen in verkiezingen. klein 🧵 over het ambtsdragernadeel en wat het betekent www.bbc.com/news/article...

digitalekrant.volkskrant.nl/volkskrant/2... Gevaarlijke #kwakzalverij

ThouTube 😁

‘Everyone was in tears’: the tenants given eviction notices just before ban in England

And me. I’m a geek, a nerd and a tech lawyer, and I avoid using A.I. like the plague. We all should.

Ian Hislop on the impossibility of nuance. The Eye has been critical of Israel's actions in Gaza while also covering antisemitism. Holding both positions at once leaves you unpopular on all fronts. ➡️ Watch Page 94, the Private Eye podcast: youtu.be/dKRLlzAFgso

Today's burning question: where are all the Keir Starmer 'Downfall' videos? Are they no longer a thing?

weirdest looking red kites ever

This is what normalisation looks like.

On 7 May 2026, Britain ran a PR experiment: Scottish Parliament: a Mixed-Member Proportional system Welsh Senedd: a (new) Low-Magnitude Party List system Same day, same political context, different outcomes. Which version of PR would be better for Westminster? 🧵

The remains of structures associated with the former Bunhouse Mill on the banks of the Kelvin in the West End of Glasgow. Cont./ #glasgow #riverkelvin #glasgowhistory #urbanarchaeology #kelvinhall

Completely unacceptable from the Board of Deputies. This nakedly partisan hypocrisy does not represent me or many other British Jews. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Energy should also be a policy area where Labour directly take on the Reform nostalgia - but only if you can back up the words with actions.

“The boost that Reform enjoyed (from FPTP) was in some instances considerable. In those councils where the party won more than half the seats, Reform won just 36% of the vote on average. Yet this proved sufficient for them to secure as much as 67% of the seats” Curtice www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thank you to everyone who went out and bought my paperback this week. Clearly it was serendipitous to put out a book about liars, propagandists, traitors, blood suckers, turncoats, racists, populists, rebels ... and an often dishonest press... at a time of local elections.

I guarantee that if any other party behaved like RefUK, the challenge at every interview would be: "Are you saying it's in the bag?/Is it arrogant to take voters for granted?/Aren't you a bit too cocky 3yrs from an elex?" But the possibility of a Farage gov't just THRILLS them! IMAGINE THE SCOOPS!

It’s second Sunday of the month…. Shortly it will be Captain Dan’s Laundry.

NEW ANALYSIS: What's going on in Spain? Spain's wholesale electricity price in early 2026: €44/MWh. Italy: €127. Germany: €96. UK: €103. Wind+solar now deliver 44% of generation. Gas sets the price in just 9% of hours, down from 55% in 2022. Full analysis: janrosenow.substack.com/p/spain-just...

The Institute of Jewish Policy Research do vg rigorous research Jewish opinion split across parties in July 2024 GE Strong aversion to Reform (just 3% v 14%) Prefer Labour under new leader [44% from 12% 2019] Cons 32%. IJPR say 2024 Greens more popular with Jewish voters than other voters

Hi @edmo-eu.bsky.social, this paragraph in the article about the monetisation of outrage seems to have accidentally been split in two. @shoutoutuk.bsky.social edmo.eu/blog/the-mon...

Really important research into weaponised online outrage and disinformation, with some proposals on what can be done about it.

If you just read & watch MSM you could be forgiven for thinking Reform are taking over …

Excellent analysis from my BBC elections team colleague and YouGov data guru @patrick-pme.bsky.social on what the local elections data tells us about whether Labour is losing more to Greens or Reform. Spoiler alert: its the Greens open.substack.com/pub/patricke...

En ik wil dat het voortaan alleen maar ‘s nachts regent. Gaat ook niet gebeuren, hè?

This is absolutely incredible. Lewisham council was solid Labour... a proper heartland of the party and it's gone Green

This is appalling and totally unsurprising. All populists attack the press and rely on their own personal media to spread their propaganda. It should be resisted at every turn.

My 4 year old nephew is always saying “Did you know?” and then repeating very seriously something we said to him just minutes before as though he’s telling us for the first time. Everyone finds it extremely cute and endearing. And yet when I do it, apparently it’s “mansplaining” #doublestandards

Trying to work out if my MP has a particular contender who she's clearing the ground for, or if this manoeuvre is as well thought through as her previous "nominate Jeremy to broaden the debate" tactic

A spiral ramp leading up to a pedestrian walkway over the M8 in the Anderston area of Glasgow. Cont./ #glasgow #anderston #urbanplanning #urbandevelopment

If the "average" Brit is sending 58 hours of voice notes a year, per a survey quoted here, the ones who actually use them must be sending vast amounts to counter the sensible refuseniks.

The EU flag is flying at Hungary’s parliament again after Péter Magyar was sworn in as prime minister — the first time it’s been displayed there since Viktor Orbán had it removed in 2014.

Hungary’s parliament sings “Ode to Joy” — the anthem of Europe — after Péter Magyar is sworn in as prime minister. Hungary is once again a proud member of the European Union.

I don't think it ends there. His view that the NHS should be replaced by private insurance. Brexit - a strength turned into a weakness. His admiration for Putin and equanimity towards Ukraine.

Hungary is celebrating! Congratulations! Zsolt Hegedüs, a candidate for the position of Minister of Health, and an excellent dancer too 🔥. When peace comes to #Ukraine, I hope I’ll post a similar video myself.