Keir Starmer's official spokesperson: "The World Cup might not be ours but the Falkland Islands definitely are” Asked who the PM would be supporting in the final, the spokesperson said: “The PM wishes both teams well for the final, especially Spain.”

First task for @andyburnham.bsky.social - can he get me off that yellow card?

I’m on a delayed train (hurrah for delay repay!) with crap phone signal, surrounded by passengers with their sweaty shoes off and chronic flatulence, and trying to follow the England game like I’m waiting for news from Shackleton’s trip to the Antarctic.

Thank you Chris Mason - over to Tomasz Schafernaker with the weather

The best news is the semi-final is on the BBC so we don't have to listen to Sam Matterface and Lee Dixon again.

Count Binface is a political idealist, not a murderer.

I know the Clacton poll is a serious matter (🙄)but I am becoming increasingly concerned about the inaccurate use of the “dogs dinner” idiom. It means ‘dressed up fancy’ not ‘ a mess’. That’s a dog’s breakfast.

It's about time the former assistant editors of the world got our proper representation.

Is this the venue for Nigel’s speech?

I'm 39. All financial news looks like this:

You'd never get this level of corruption in Uppies and Downies.

As a podcast I just listened to pointed out - Lamine Yamal's dad is younger than one the players in his next opponent's team. (Yes, it's that guy.)

Messi's had a group stage game this WC where an opponent came upto him after and said hi and Messi's like wait your last name is familiar and guy was like yeah you and my dad used to play together at Barca

Mexico - nothing if not incredibly consistent.

As I was saying.

Mexico City thunderstorms in July are a thing to behold. Can't say I'd like to be in the Azteca in the middle of one.

Mexico City's altitude, the jet-lag, the pollution, the sleep deprivation. Then we went another 2,000 feet up a mountain in the dark. Would not recommend.

00:55 on Monday and you're all going to discover that the Mexican national anthem is an absolute certified banger.

And the Germans who did NOT win on penalties

*kisses fingers*

Wonder who this guy's supporting tonight? #EngPan

Every hometown’s got the ominous megastructure, what’s yours? “Utinni!”

Godzilla El Niño is actually my luchador name.

this took way too long

Happy birthday to the heatwave of 1976 which began today 50 years ago, peaking at 35.9°C. If a comparable heatwave happened in the current climate it would be 3-4°C hotter, peaking at 38-39°C. And the actual forecast is for temperatures of 38-39°C in the next few days with a red heatwave warning.

Worked alongside Tom in shadow health days. He would be a smart appointment.

Quite funny that Burnham just went out through the Euston side entrance and just avoided almost all of the media scrum. (Cmon news crews, they always do this at Euston with VIPs, they used to do this with George Osborne when he would come back from Tatton, know your station layouts!)

Just heard someone on TV used the word "coronated." For the sake of my sanity in the coming weeks, the word is "crowned."

It is extremely important that Labour understands that the movement of voters between Lab and Ref was not the crucial factor, it was consolidation of the anti-Ref vote and Lab voters turning out in droves. Otherwise Burnham will make the same mistakes as Starmer in targeting only one set of voters.

Hate this. The UK needs broad-based tax rises not just higher taxes on high earners. This is a deadend that will keep the UK's fiscal position precarious. Terrible for tax morale to pretend high earners taxes haven't already gone up over the last 15 years or that ordinary people haven't had cuts.

If you're the chief political correspondent of a major UK news channels and you've never heard of Count Binface, you shouldn't be chief political correspondent of a major UK news channel.

There’s only one parliamentarian who genuinely rates Kemi (other than herself), and of course there is. 👀

Today’s note: on the cuts at the BBC. The problem has a simple cause - in 2010, the licence fee was £220 in today’s money. Now it is £180.

Another day hard at work chiselling away in the content mines.

My Labour PPC backstory: I've worked for Labour MPs since I left university and been involved with the party since I was a toddler. My Tory PPC backstory: My wife's family have a farm. My Reform PPC backstory: My grandfather was a fisherman. My Restore PPC backstory: I'm married to a foreigner.

Once again I am asking: create a BBC Sport with all the key rights as the ultimate populist measure

David Hockney hasn't died, he's just resigned according to BBC News

The hospitality industry wants their VAT cut to 10%. It will cost £12bn Who benefits? ❌ The smallest most vulnerable businesses? Nope. 45% get nothing. ❌ Consumers? Nope - prices won't fall. ✅ Nearly half the cash goes straight to large chains. McDonald's gets £400m. 🧵:

During the Copeland by-election, my Mum spent much of her time ferrying the Shadow Cabinet across the A66 between the constituency and Penrith railway station. After one such trip, John Healey took the time to send her a very nice note to say thank you for everything she'd done for the party.

I see that the Southampton rioters are once again proving to be the kind of decent, law-abiding, women-defending, pleasant stout yeomen of the shire we should be paying attention to.

I have complained already about RotK cutting out one of the best scenes in the entire book for really no good reason. And I will again!! I do not understand why this isn’t in there

how about the social media platforms are re-categorised as publishers which they completely fucking are and they’re responsible for what’s published

On Facebook, someone would be very angrily blaming Ed Miliband for this.

This is great. "If you can’t be bothered to write it, why should anyone be bothered to read it?" is spot on.

You know what I really don't get? The "historic counties" guys (and it's always guys). Middlesex doesn't exist - get over it!

In a detail which will surprise no one, the first of the "patriots" to plead guilty to offences connected to the rioting in Southampton on Tuesday night has a criminal record as long as your arm, including.... possessing a knife.

lmao

After a month in office, have the new Reform councillors found the brown envelopes yet?

if you are "using AI for writing," you are not writing. i do not know how to make this any simpler