We are getting a stream of columns warning the Government off shifting "left" (whatever that means- things the author doesn't like usually). I take a different view: the only thing that turns things round is bolder state action, getting rid of the hostile environment, and taking Brexit head on.

"They’ve attacked all these people, in a desperate attempt to make clear to racists and social conservatives that they hear them. If the racists and social conservatives were actually going to vote for them this would merely seem abhorrent. When they clearly aren’t, it’s stupid too."

I’ve contended for a while now that Chris Mason is basically an entertainment correspondent. Precious little analysis (or even mention) of policies and their effects, it’s now all about the ins and outs of the personality-driven Westminster soap opera. One step away from a gossip column.

This 👇

If you want to FINALLY watch Scott Bessent get pinned down on specifics about the illegal money laundering operation being conducted by the Trump admin from someone who knows WTF he’s talking about, this clip is your chance. Bessent gets destroyed.

quite a lot of popular ideas are as far as I can tell organized entirely around the denial of the chaos inherent in life

This is not a usual order of the court. But we live in unusual times.

Seriously worrying figures that should be driving the govt and public health to tackle the scourge of vaccine misinformation. Would save unnecessary suffering and NHS budgets.

I bought this sometime in the early 90s whilst working as an English teacher in China. It's hauntingly beautiful but has been in a cupboard for many years. Would like to get it mounted but no idea where I could get this done.

Dropping the paywall on this one www.theverge.com/policy/86745...

Jared Huffman, "If we're real and honest about what's going on, we have a madman in the White House" "Trump is running the biggest most corrupt criminal grift in criminal history, out of the White House" "We take an oath to the Constitution, but it seems all of you took an oath to Donald Trump"

If Viz went feral

Quisling

Mark Carney's speech really is terrific: full text is here and very much worth your time.

@vienna_official today we welcome his imperial highness archduke franz ferdinand to sarajevo. unity, stability, progress. @pan_slav_posting wild that austria thinks this is a good idea but ok

What we are seeing from Trump in the last few days is no surprise or revelation. It’s was he has always been and will be. The surprise was that too many people wilfully refused to admit it.

This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition, The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance Iconic imo

Some people were confused by my ICE post. This should clear it up.

Excellent picture choice from the Guardian. Makes Blair look like The Joker.

Thought I’d do a mega hread on NPR, partly because I’ve seen some London based commentary that doesn’t really get the bigger picture quite right imho

1% of Reform UK voters have a favourable opinion of the Labour Party, compared to 98% seeing it unfavourably, including 89% who view the party *very* unfavourably. Conservative voters are more sympathetic.

Utterly fucking deluded. Reform are not the centre ground, and grubing around trying to please their voters is and always will fail to increase Labour support. (And why is the NS still providing a share link to X?) www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

And in Britain and elsewhere we also need to remember that there were people in our countries who cheered the strong man on. Said it was unfair to criticise him. Imitated his movement.

And if now is not the moment to remind ourselves of this most terrible lesson, then when is it OK? This is one of those times when being a bystander is no longer an option.

I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.

#BBCNews this is how you do analysis.

Comforting ourselves that the midterms are going to take place in a normal way is wishful thinking unfortunately. Trump and his circle are going to do everything they can to undermine and block them. Most likely a faked up state of emergency.

A few birds yesterday at #WiganFlashes #photography #photographersofbluesky #nature #birds

Greetings from good old Europe. From Austria, the country where, according to Trump, the trees explode.

My entire feed is people of all different types of political value system absolutely shitting on Keir Starmer and his decisions. Bodes well for the future of the UK that the Labour party is about to crumble as hard as the Tories have.

The detention of Noriega in 1969 is clearly the closest precedent for the Maduro operation. But events in Caracas remind me of a now-forgotten episode in which the US invaded a Commonwealth Caribbean state, giving the UK Gov’t a few hours’ notice and ignoring their objections 1/9

A defining moment for Europe. If it endorses/fails to condemn this flagrant breach of international law, it will have surrendered its core justification for opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

It’s exhausting and boring, but because the wilful misunderstanders will be out in force some of us are going to have to spend a lot of time saying: No, we do not like or support Maduro. We like and support the rule of law.

"Welcome to Decline" -- still one of my favourite graphs from last year. In the late 1970s, Britain's economic fate very clearly split in two. How much you blame Thatcher will depend on your politics, but her leadership is useful to understand the timing. tomforth.co.uk/welcometodec...

If you really want to ‘put the Christ back into Christmas’ make refugees welcome.

Fraser Nelson is the latest Farage apologist to dismiss the racism allegations against him, saying that there's never been any evidence of him ever being racist as an adult. Just completely untrue. There is extensive undeniable evidence of it www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/nigel-fara...

Faro street furniture inspired by @richardmortimer.bsky.social

cc @tef.bsky.social

Excellently written evisceration of the current US failing government and its security strategy from @nilsgilman.bsky.social "it is merely the loud, defiant rage of a senescent power that refuses to adapt to and make peace with a world it can no longer command."

We can debate each word he said, but I will leave you with this joke currently trending in Europe: “In war between Russia and Ukraine, United States surrendered first.”

This is like if Tyson stopped selling consumer chicken. RAM is about to cost as much as a brand new pc. The cost of everything from tablets, to phones, to laptops will skyrocket. All because AI data centers are consuming all the available RAM they can get. www.pcgamer.com/hardware/the...

This is v good …

Sometimes it is very obvious. Poverty is a lack of sufficient income. Increase income.

I do think it's worth addressing that the intellectual lodestar of this government is a gibbering idiot.

Well, I am someone at risk of being called a “fucking Paki” and often have been (and worse). And I disagree with Shabana Mahmood. Funny how those who are normally against “playing the race card” are happy to do so when it suits their political needs.

A patriot, ladies and gentlemen. 🇬🇧