So pleased to welcome new Secretary of State for Health &Social Care, @jamesmurrayldn.bsky.social to the DfE where we met with parents & campaigners today. Building a system to better support children with SEND will need us to work really closely together. James is gripping this right from the off.

Reform UK Lancashire council hit by trebling of councillor conduct complaints www.localgov.co.uk/Reform-UK-co...

Dodgy barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops linked to organised crime will face raids, closures and cash seizures under a new £30 million enforcement package from the Labour Government.

🔴 NEW: Justice secretary David Lammy has told Parliament the government will "bring forward legislation" to tackle Slapps - abusive lawsuits used by oligarchs and the super-rich. Comments come in response to Democracy for Sale's recent investigation: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/we-investi...

Our Labour government have today announce £100m to fight child sex offences and protect victims. It will include tracking down grooming gang members and bringing offenders to justice, including £38m for Operation Beaconport - a tenfold cash injection - which reopens historic cases. 1/4

It was kind of Robert Jenrick to set me up for an obvious joke at his expense.

Met Police will ask the CPS to consider charging up to 57 people & 20 companies over the Grenfell Tower fire Alleged offences include corporate & gross negligence manslaughter, misconduct in public office & fraud 72 people were killed in the disaster

Today's Pensions Commission Report is an (all too rare) example of serious analysis of a vital long-term social/economic challenge. The outline of the policy agenda that will feature in its final (2027) report is starting to take shape. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a073f...

FT Exclusive: Nigel Farage’s claim that he paid for a £1.4mn house with his fee from a reality TV show has been challenged by corporate accounts that appear to show that the income remained on his company’s balance sheet after the property purchase. ft.trib.al/dtJOxC3

Do I think Starmer could do better in many areas? Of course. But if you really believe he is islamophobic, supports genocide or anti-trans, then it is really not worth pursuing a conversation.

Well, well, well. A leaked letter from Boris Johnson supporting Christopher Harborne, Nigel Farage and Refuk donor accused by Ben Habib of paying Johnson and Farage £1m each to fix the 2019 GE #politicslive #wato #bbcpm #r4today

Another Green councillor has resigned from #Lambeth Council, creating the possibility of Labour replacing the Greens as the borough's largest party: www.onlondon.co.uk/lambeth-seco... I will be able to add to this story later today. #London

This is why he was elected. And this is why he does what he does,service to the public. Unlike others,little rats scurrying around trying to get support by telling different people what they want to hear. Those people are scum and WILL fck you over.

Anyone else would destroy this,Starmer and Reeves have built it don’t let others take a wrecking ball to it. It’s your life we are talking about here. Do you want a life or not??

With Reform UK, it's always about 'looking after our own' until it comes to feeding children. Labour is providing over 6,400 children across Kent County Council with free breakfast clubs. Reform UK literally want to take the food from their mouths. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Bridget Phillipson: "With Reform UK, it's always about looking after our own, until it comes to feeding children" Say it louder. Something that I think is underdiscussed, is how consistent and forceful Bridget Phillipson has been in challenging Reform UK. I wish more cabinet members did the same.

I don’t agree with Starmer on everything, far from it, but the UK can’t keep resetting every 18 months because politics gets difficult. Constant instability wrecks investment, long-term planning and public trust. At some point the country needs consistency more than permanent drama. #UKPolitics

In 2025 the UK was the fastest growing European G7 economy. Today the IMF forecast the same to be the case in 2026, with the UK very likely the fastest growing of the whole G7 in the first quarter of the year (Japan data out tomorrow) www.imf.org/en/news/arti...

We steered a service that was failing under the Tories, to outstanding. Hopefully, that will continue, now we're gone. wandsworthlabour.uk/2026/05/18/o...

This UK Labour Government is relentlessly focused on easing the cost of living and unlocking economic growth. Today, the IMF has upgraded the UK’s growth forecast. We are building a stronger, fairer Britain.

…meanwhile in the real world… The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its forecast for the UK's growth this year from 0.8% to 1%. Labour…delivering with Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves!

2nd biggest employer in Manchester is the University of Manchester. Btw, our Andy went to Cambridge, where he met his wife. But yeah, apprenticeships for you lot. His dad thought differently for his son, to his fortune. highprofiles.info/interview/an...

Jesus Christ, from the size of that cat I’m guessing it’s lard

BREAKING: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its forecast for the UK's growth this year. The growth estimate has been upgraded to 1% from 0.8% for 2026 by the influential body. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“The IMF upgrading its growth forecasts for the UK and backing our fiscal strategy is yet more proof that this Government has the right economic plan” Chancellor Rachel Reeves

This is a reminder of what politics is really about. A Labour government delivering for working people and making sure all of our children get the best start in life.

Burnham isn't PM material, media frenzy or not. Good in Manchester but on a world stage, cringe. He's lost 2 previous contests. Also, for the foreseeable, we can't go further left. We need stability. In time perhaps if we've recovered enough from the Tories. Only Starmer can achieve that I think.

Rejoin as a long-term Labour objective is fine. But rejoin as an immediate prospect is insane and makes no sense. We can't just rejoin, we have to negotiate it and negotiations will not begin until there is clear evidence for the EU that the UK is serious. No such evidence currently exists.

While Burnham and Streeting fight like rats (with big egos) in a sack, Starmer's getting on with the job. By the way, if Burnham's already trying to dodge issues, how is he the second coming? I'm now hearing, "shut up about brexit so he can win the by-election". Good grief.

Farage almost never talks about brexit any more. He's pivoted entirely to the issue of "illegal" migration which I a bit ironic because one of the main planks of his own leave campaign was that Brexit would stop "illegal" immigration...

The British fugitive behind a $600m US tax fraud has now sent me a "FORMAL NOTICE OF TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE, ACTUAL MALICE, AND TRANSATLANTIC LIABILITY". He says I triggered "Pinkerton Liability" and must answer for the "math of IRS Algorithm 810". And pay him $120m.

The rebel MPs have obviously been pulling the wool over our eyes for two years. Cheering Starmer on while hatching plans to bring him down. They’ve taken the members and electorate as fools. We’ve had their backs and supported them and now they turn round and shit on us. I will not forgive this.

One fact Leave supporters never address is that Brexit has hit the “left behind” towns that depend most on manufacturing hardest.

Who the hell is @andyburnham.bsky.social to say he will save Labour? He clearly lacks self-awareness. Arrogant, self-indulgent even. We don't need this in our national politics. We have enough of it with Farage, Badenoch and Polanski. We need humility in our PMs. We need Keir.

What’s he going to save it from ? A huge majority and the first election win in 15 years ? I think we know who has saved Labour, and it’s not him.

Exclusive: Defence Secretary John Healey is set to argue that more defence investment must stay in Britain Healey plans to make a speech at the Good Growth Foundation on Tuesday evening

So the guy who gave up his seat so Burnham can have a go is now saying as well ‘ he won’t fix everything don’t expect too much he’s not the messiah’ Then what the fck is this all about then?? I fckn despair. He was on LBC The world has lost its marbles just now. Fckn insane.

Good grief @lucympowell.bsky.social, the brass-necked hypocrisy of this post, coming from a divisive, axe-wielding plotter like you. The cravenly disabled replies and quote posts also duly noted. If Starmer goes, you've lost my membership.

This is an entangled mess affecting Reform and the Tories but most of all the people of Worcs. 1. On 11 May Jo Monk (and her son Ashley) were suspended by Reform for bringing the party into disrepute (as if that were possible!). Alan Amos took over as ReformUK lead 1/3 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

American money is behind so much of the UK far right, from little Tommy to anti-abortion activism. It’s not even hidden

Exc: Backbenchers are readying an amendment that would force sitting MPs to disclose gifts received before the 2024 election Lloyd Hatton tells me "No one should have anything to be afraid of" observer.co.uk/news/politic...

In case you missed it: the Labour Government is getting on with bringing rail into public control - including GWR 🚄 This rail operator will be coming under public control on 13 December, and there are more to come!

I'm obviously dimwitted (no comment required thanks) but the Government has delivered or has in progress 70+ out of 95 manifesto pledges in under 2 years. In my world we vote for Government to deliver their manifesto otherwise why bother with a manifesto.

Ever wondered why it seems Labour has lurched from crisis to crisis since taking office? They haven't. Yes, crises (all humans need grace) but not as many as the media would have you believe There's been MANY successes so far e.g fullfact.org/government-t... & recent economic/NHS data 2/2

Well this is fantastic news! Our Labour government has instructed UK Sport to carry out a strategic assessment on whether the North of England could make a bid for the Olympics in the 2040s! It is part of Labour's ambitious growth drive to use sports to power regeneration of towns & cities. 1/3

I'm posting these again, I know it pees some people of who complain about Starmer supporters just posting lists of achievements as if they don't matter but tough, scroll on by if you don't like it. This is unprecedented in under 2 years and how else should we judge a Government.

Yes. It's like the "island of strangers" stuff. It was months later, researching something else, that I actually read the full section and realised that most "progressives" (including me) had been quoting pellets served up to us by the Mail and the Telegraph.

There are certain legacy habits that you wouldn’t adopt if you were starting from scratch now and near the top of the list is broadcasters doing a segment on the newspapers. Not just skewed towards the right (forever the case) but now skewed towards a shrinking demographic of nutters

Crikey, this is significant. All about Orban's regime showering money on populism abroad including the UK. David Frost mentioned as an alleged recipient, plus Unherd and The Spectator. So much for pushing back against foreign interference. H/t @guystall.bsky.social